Thursday, May 21, 2009

Celebrations in Galle

A little while ago we were invited to represent St Thomas' College at a felicitation service for those who have served in the Archdeaconry of Galle.
Here you can see the school band that led the procession to the meeting place.

Galle was where the Dutch colonisers landed and so a fort was built to protect and defend the city. Old Galle is a lovely place to walk and enjoy in Sri Lanka unusually quiet streets. There is a fascinating private museum which is full of bits and pieces from colonial times and well worth a visit.

Asia Sunday 2009

Asia Sunday 24th May 2009
Country in Focus: Sri Lanka; Theme: Tear Drop
Since 1974, Asia Sunday has been celebrated in Asia and amongst ecumenical organizations around the world on the Sunday before Pentecost.

Hear are some liturgical resources and prayers:
Namo namo mavumkarun
We worship you Creator
Namo namo midumkarun
We worship you Liberator
Namo namo sudath murun
We worship you Sanctifier
Namo namo thiyek murun
We worship you O Trinity


Lighting the Lamp
Ministers will light lamps whilst the following is said slowly:
The world is full of darkness and confusion
Asia is full of violence and anger
Our country is full of pain and suffering.
Jesus wept.
With a tear drop, the Risen Christ is the light and hope of the world.


The Triple Refuge
Oba piya devikara saranaya ganimi
I take my refuge in you, the Father, accepting you as God.
Oba kithu himikara saranaya ganimi
I take my refuge in you, the Son, accepting you as God.
Oba sudha tindukara saranaya ganimi
I take my refuge in you blest Spirit, accepting you as Lord.
Oba eka devikara saranaya ganimi
I take my refuge in you three, acknowledging you as one God.
Oba sura sasunehi saranaya pathami
I look for refuge in your holy church
Oba ana vinayehi saranaya pathami
I look for refuge in your noble word
Obe mema sangayehi saranaya pathami
I look for refuge in this your community

Latest Letter from Bishop Duleep

Behold, I make all things new
A statement by the Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo

CEYLON 090519-1
May 19, 2009

[The Church of Ceylon (E-P) - Ceylon] Today all Sri Lankans stand at a decisive point in the history of our beautiful and beloved country.

All communities are undoubtedly relieved that the fighting is now over. For too long, too many lives have been lost. Many youth who were killed or injured in battle showed immense courage and sacrifice. They must be remembered with respect and honour. Many unarmed innocent civilians were also killed or injured. They too must be remembered with respect and honour. May we also never forget the tens of thousands of parents, spouses, children, brothers and sisters who grieve these deaths.

This is also the time, if we will recognize it, to look back and learn from the several mistakes of the past. These are lessons of peaceful co-existence, the strength in compromise that is essential for political dialogue, and the value of every single human life. We must begin with our children, and in our schools, temples, kovils, mosques and churches. But adults too will have to re-learn these lessons, and leaders in particular will be called upon to set new standards. It is in this way, mostly, that we will set in place the appropriate values and attitudes that will lead our people away from war and violence.

Finally, now is the time, if we will recognize it, to take prayerful, purposeful and collective steps towards an integrated, united and just Sri Lanka that has eluded us for decades. We must become a nation in which every woman, man and child, regardless of religion or ethnicity, is made to feel equal, free and proud to call themselves Sri Lankan. For this to happen we will be required to address the grievances of all communities, eliminate social fear and suspicion, restore the people’s confidence in law and order and good governance, and respond to the current economic challenges with immediate attention to the needs of the poorest, the displaced, the helpless and the harassed amongst us.

May the God of creation and compassion raise us to a new life of mutual understanding, respect and loving kindness.


The Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera
Bishop of Colombo
19th May 2009

Sunday, May 17, 2009

May Letter from Bishop Duleep

Sri Lankans in Crisis – the Concern of all other Sri Lankans
A statement by the Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo

CEYLON 090507-1
May 7, 2009

[The Church of Ceylon (E-P) - Ceylon]
Our impatience with the intended intervention of the international community and activities of the Tamil Diaspora in other parts of the world should not divert the attention of concerned Sri Lankans from the dire needs of our fellow Sri Lankans restricted to IDP camps and the ‘No fire zone”, here at home.

The refusal of the LTTE to permit the civilians to leave the “No fire zone”, and even holding them to ransom, brings an even greater responsibility on the GoSL to ensure the protection and safe passage of these remnant Sri Lankan civilians. The GoSL should consequently exhaust all other methods of pressure through negotiations, diplomacy and International law that will save the civilians and also neutralise the LTTE. Through such a course of action the GoSL will prove its political prowess and be able to fulfil its dual responsibilities by all the people of this country.

The urgent task at hand with regard to the IDPs now is to facilitate the recovery of dignity and the return to normalcy of these thousands of fellow Sri Lankans, crushed and deprived for years. Such a task need not be incompatible with security safeguards. In fact the implementation of such a transformative policy will in the long run build trust and reduce the need for more security safeguards. If not, we run the risk of reverting to the cycle of increased fear, increased suspicion and increased security.

Consequently we require a visible shift from sympathy for the IDPs to an affirmation of their rights and dignity as Sri Lankans. These persons simply cannot lose their rights as Sri Lankans because they were trapped under the LTTE in the Vanni. In fact they crossed over at great risk in a courageous demonstration of their right to movement as Sri Lankans , and this must be recognised. Also, the travails of war and displacement that prevents them from producing documentary evidence does not make them any less Sri Lankan than the rest of us. What seems unclear at present, however, is whether they have rights now or whether they are required to remain under collective suspicion indefinitely till they somehow acquire their rights by proving they are different.

This shift should be accompanied by a multi-task approach towards recovery and normalcy as against a phase-by-phase approach. Intelligence screening cannot be avoided and must be done professionally and swiftly. But counselling is equally important.
These Sri Lankans have been subject to severe trauma in what they have seen and suffered, and remain in their silent world with questions about loved ones, belongings and an uncertain future; and here too they are in need of professional help.

These two priorities of screening and counselling should also run concurrently with the process of de-mining and the building of houses and infrastructure, with the people being released in batches to return to their homes and villages. As part of this process, identifiable LTTE cadres should be separated for professionally planned programmes of rehabilitation.

Such a clear policy will establish the bona fides of the GoSL and send a clear message to all. Then the temporary hardships and restrictions of the camps will become bearable as the people will see an end to their misery.

But if a lasting solution to our larger and more tragic conflict is ever to be reached we need to engage in two more crucial shifts. The first is to overcome the tendency to see ghosts of the LTTE in every Tamil. If not, an entire community will be held under surveillance for the rest of their lives, some of whom will inevitably be driven into the arms of the next Tamil militant resurgence. The second is the need for a just and speedy political response to the grievances of the Tamil people. These grievances must be heard and can best be articulated by a cross-section of independent Tamil leadership.

I appeal to His Excellency the President and to all other political leaders to work together to initiate these shifts for the good of all who belong to this beautiful and resourceful land.

With Peace and Blessings
+ Duleep Colombo.
7th May 2009

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Clergy Conference April 2009




Held on alternate years with Clergy Synod, conference saw the entire clergy of the Diocese of Colombo, decamping to Hillwood School on the shores of Kandy lake. Founded by a Church of England Zenna Missionary, a Miss Elizabeth Bellamy in 1889.
A popular girls school known for excellence in academic studies, it produced the first Sri Lankan woman to obtain a mathematics degree at Girton College, Cambridge.
Clergy from all over Sri Lankan came together in prayer, fellowship and to exchange stories and concerns. Bishop Duleep exhorted each and every person to seek out and be with the helpless and harassed in their local communities.

During the 3 days of conference we listened to the stories of the suffering, of tea pickers giving their children poison to drink as due to the global economic situation they can no longer afford to feed them, of the young pregnant woman who fleeing LTTE controlled area was shot at, her hands having to be amputated due to injury, her husband was killed. She gave birth to a healthy baby, but is struggling to care for him.

We heard of Fr Daniel and his wife and baby daughter living in an Internally Displaced People's camp by choice so he could minister to the people there.
We heard of brave and courageous acts of selflessness.

Please pray for Sri Lanka, for an end to war and the beginning of peace.

Spring cleaning!


During the school holidays myself and Shemil decided to give the chapel library a bit of a spring clean! We discovered many 'holey books' as Shemil is holding up!
It was electic mix- some books on third party insurance, others on Rural churches in the British countryside and one on medical procedures. Clearing away with dust and rats' unmentionables we are now wondering how to fill the shelves with some good reading material for teenage boys. Any suggestions?