The Redemptorist Community at Sancta Maria, Kandy, Sri Lanka, had the honour of hosting His Eminence Mario Cardinal Grech the Secretary General of the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops on Sunday 20th July 2025 in the evening. His Eminence was on an official visit to Sri Lanka on the invitation of the Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith to promote the vision of Synodality. During his visit, he met the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka (CBCSL), the Conference of Major Religious Superiors (CMRS), the priest representatives of all the twelve dioceses, the major seminarians at the National Seminary and the various Lay Movements.
In spite of his busy week-long schedule, the Cardinal took time off to visit Sancta Maria, Kandy, the first Redemptorist foundation in the Indian sub-continent. After praying at our Chapel which is also the first public Shrine of our Mother of Perpetual Help in South Asia, he recalled with nostalgia that in his own home country (Malta), too, they have a shrine dedicated to this miraculous icon, so dear to the Redemptorists. His Eminence was accompanied by Bp. Raymond Wickremasinghe of Galle, Bp. Anton Ranjit, the auxiliary bishop of Colombo, Very Rev. Fr. Alwin Fernando, the Vicar General of the diocese of Kandy and our own Fr. Vimal Tirimanna C.Ss.R., appointee of the late Pope Francis to the two recent Synodal Assemblies in Rome.
Cardinal Mario spent the whole evening with our community participating at our weekly Gaudeamus and Dinner. He openly expressed that he felt relaxed and very much at home being among us the Redemptorists, namely, Fr. Sanath Kumara Fernando (superior) who graciously rose to the occasion in organizing things, Fr. Shanti Abeyasingha and our one and only oblate Anton Joseph, and of course, Fr. Vimal (whose active involvement in the synodal process and personal friendship with the Cardinal was the main reason for him to visit Sancta Maria). Incidentally, ours is the only Religious House that Cardinal Grech visited during his stay in Sri Lanka, from 15th to 22nd July.
Fr. Shanti Abeyasingha, CSsR.
