THE CATHOLIC WEEKLY OF SRI LANKA “RegisteRED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF POSTS OF SRI LANKA” UNDER NO. QD / 19 / NEWS / 2015 Feast of Our Lady of Lanka Sunday, February 8, 2015 Vol 146 No 06 24 Pages Rs: 25.00 Registered as a newspaper “Go and Announce” VERBUM TELEVISION Sri Lanka’s first TV Channel gets going erbum Television, the work of evangeliz- as a blessing in disguise. ing, the Channel should With the many challeng- VCatholic TV Chan- encourage and foster es the Church was facing Sri Lanka’s first unity among all people with the rise of funda- last Friday by the Arch- in the country by taking mentalism and threats bishopnel was officiallyof Colombo, launched His into account the Church’s to the faith, the Catholic Eminence Malcolm Cardi- teaching of respecting the Bishops’ Conference felt nal Ranjith at the Audito- dignity of all people. The the ardent need to have its rium of the Archbishop’s Holy Father’s message own TV Channel to coun- House. was signed by Archbish- teract false propaganda. This new Catho- op Pietro Parolin, the Vat- It was at this time that lic TV Channel with its ican’s Secretary of State. Mr. Milan de Silva came to studios at Ragama, be- Addressing the us with his proposal of a gan operations on a small large gathering which Catholic Channel and the scale last June, through included the Minister of feasibility of setting up the Internet. With its Christian Affairs, John one. The telecast through launch last Friday the Amaratunga, members PEO TV and DIALOG TV Channel will now telecast of parliament, clergy, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith lighting the candle at the Launch will be an opportunity to through Sri Lanka Tele- religious and guests, while Chairman Verbum Television, Mr. Milan de Silva looks on. reach out to Sri Lankan com’ s PEO TV - (Person- His Eminence specially by Blessed Paul VI, Inter of life in the society. Bible. Guglielmo Marconi Catholics living abroad, alized Entertainment Op- thanked the Chairman of Mirifica, His Eminence His Eminence who is commonly cred- His Eminence said. tion) and DIALOG TV. Verbum TV, Milan de Silva said the decree speaks did not hesitate to tell his ited with invention of the In a message for his initiative and de- Having our own on the responsible role audience of the important radio teamed up with the sent by His Holiness Pope sire in seeing the need to TV Channel is like having the media should play place the Christian Faith Vatican to create Vatican Francis to mark the occa- launch a Catholic Televi- a weapon in our hands in society. Hence the call had on Social Communi- Radio which at that time sion which was read out sion Channel in the coun- and it is up to us to use of this Catholic Channel cation. He said that when was a new tool of evange- by His Eminence Malcolm try catering to the spiri- it for the good of all and should be to reveal the the printing press was lization. Cardinal Ranjith, the Holy tual needs of the Catholic not misuse it, His Emi- truth that the Word of - His Eminence Father while recalling his community. nence said. Referring to God proclaims, promote - recent visit to Sri Lanka This initiative of the Decree on Media of the unity of the people printedfirst invented was the by Bible. Guten It cially help to maintain has stated that through Mr. Milan de Silva came Social Communications and improve the quality wasberg calledthe first the bookGutenberg to be thiscalled channel. Catholics to finan A Budget for the Poor he new all-party National Unity Government on January 29, pre- What the new government did to reduce space of more than 5000 square ft. But Tsented what many independent pricesflour and was bread, to remove sugar theand taxcanned on these fish. thethan minister Rs. 100 saidmillion this or tax covering was being a floor re- items. viewed following appeals by those who interim Budget mainly for millions of Earlier last week, Power and owned huge ancestral homes for genera- pooreconomic people analysts of Sri Lanka. see as the first ever Energy Minister Patali Champika Ran- tions. He said that a time period would - awaka, in a pre budget gift to the people be set to value the properties. ises, less than three weeks after com- announced that the price of petrol has - Fulfilling one of its main prom been slashed by Rs 33 per litre, diesel cate and spectacular visit to Sri Lanka peaceful, silent revolution by the people, by Rs. 16 and kerosene by Rs. 16. The from JanuaryPope Francis13 to 15, during also hisrepeatedly pontifi theing tonew office government in what is Financewidely seenMinister as a Finance Minister in the interim Bud- pleaded that all countries help the poor Ravi Karunanayake announced sweep- get reduced another Rs. 9 in the price much more and care more for them in ing measures to provide largely short- of kerosene oil. The Minister said the the Kingdom spirit of social justice. term relief to the people. He said some money required to provide all this relief 1.3 million public servants would receive to the poor and middle- Contd on Pg. 2 the biggest bonanza – an immediate sal- class people would be ary increase of Rs. 5000 from this month obtained by imposing and another Rs. 5000 from June. Pen- not be forced to do so. The Finance Min- new taxes on the wealthy. A free copy of the ister also announced that the allocation These would include a Mahapola Scholarship students would for the vital health care and education one-off tax of Rs.1000 Souvenir of the alsosioners receive and bigSamurdhi increases. beneficiaries and sectors were being doubled. Papal Visit to Sri - The Minister had promised which have been func- Lanka is issued with ployees in the private sector, the govern- that prices of 10 essential items would tioningmillion on questionablefive casinos For more than five million em be reduced from this month but in the registration procedures. today’s Messenger. salary increase of at least Rs. 2500 from interim Budget he announced that the The Minister also said a Please make sure thisment month urged butprivate the governmentfirms to give spokes them a- prices of not 10 but 13 items were be- mansion tax of Rs. 1 mil- you get your copy. men insisted that under the market ing reduced. These include a substantial lion would be imposed on cut in the prices of milk powder, wheat mansions valued at more economy policy, the private firms could 2 2 Children / Youth The MessengerThe Messenger February February 1, 2015 8, 2015 The Religious Consecrated Persons in the Church The Year 2015 has been mote God’s values and virtues in prayer that empowered Jesus to prayerful and prophetic but in re- lead them from less human con- dedicated to the Consecrated Life the world as shown by Jesus dur- remain faithful to God and God’s ality some are reluctant under the ditions to conditions which are in the Church by Pope Francis and ing His life-time on earth. Such mission entrusted to Him. In His weight of traditions and customs more human? Yes, there are some I like to reflect on the concept of unmarried consecrated persons human nature, He had to struggle based on wrong value systems who identify themselves with Consecration which can help us, are called the Religious in the at times to remain faithful to His and / or outdated spirituality. the poor and the victims of caste the Religious, in the Church in Sri Church. own consecrated life. He had to system while some feel bound by Lanka, in a special way to praise By emphasizing the no- face temptations, opposition and Two issues to be tackled the traditions, customs and their and thank God for the gift of con- tion of consecration, the Second rejection in order to remain faith- according to the Pope upbringing. I feel Pope Francis is secrated life (Religious Life) and Vatican Council has invited the ful to God and God-given mis- Aboard the papal plane telling the Religious in Sri Lanka: renew ourselves in the vocation to Religious to be faithful to the sion. He had to resist temptations during the recent flight from Ma- “As prophets, wake up your soci- which we have been called in the response they have freely given to power, wealth and prestige nila to Rome on January 19, an- ety.” Prophets speak in the name Church. to God publicly and visibly in a (Mt 4:1-11). It was because He swering questions posed to him by of God. It is a papal call to bring liturgical setting in the Church. belonged to God, His Abba, that a journalist regarding the situation Emphasis in the Second God is always faithful. He is al- Jesus was able to say “No” to evil in Sri Lanka, Pope Francis referred about a meaningful desired change Vatican Council ways reliable. His love is constant and promote the values and vir- to two issues in Sri Lanka, namely in Sri Lanka where everyone can and steadfast. It is never taken tues of the Kingdom, with integ- poverty and caste. He said: “The feel valued and treated with re- The Catholic Church in away. It is unconditional love. It rity of life. poor are the victims of the throw- spect. Before his departure at the the Second Vatican Council has is the human person who fails to emphasized the notion of conse- away culture.