Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith recently condemned the efforts taken by certain Sri Lankan expatriates to tarnish island nation’s image among foreign states. His Eminence Cardinal Ranjith said that the attempts aimed at bringing down the country’s image at international level are condemned by the Catholics in the country regardless of persons involved in such activities.
“We agree with the President’s policy that the various foreign powers should not be allowed to create dissention among the communities,” he said adding the Catholics hail the President’s policy that certain foreign elements should not be allowed to sow the seeds of separatism in the country.
Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith made these comments delivering his speech at the State ceremony organized by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to felicitate him at the BMICH on Sunday. Members of Maha Sangha, Members of National Christian Council, Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Marcus Fernando, Archbishop Emeritus Dr. Oswald Gomis and Apostolic Nuncio to Sri Lanka Archbishop Joseph Spiteri and former President Chandrika Kumaranatunga, ministers, parliamentarians were also present.
Cardinal Ranjith also highlighted that he had received information that several misguided Catholic priests operating from foreign soil are involved in futile attempts of dividing the country.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith received his red biretta from Pope Benedict XVI during the Consistory Ceremony in Saint Peter's Basilica on November 20 when the Pope installed 24 new Roman Catholic cardinals from around the world.
Twenty of the new cardinals including Malcolm Ranjith are under age 80 making them eligible to be Pope's successor to the 1.5 billion member Roman Catholic Church and its Holy See.
The 63-year-old Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith was born in Polgahawela, Sri Lanka. He is the second cardinal of the Colombo, Sri Lanka archdiocese. The first was Thomas Cooray who was elevated to cardinal in 1965.
This year Sri Lanka and its catholic community of the country had been blessed and privileged after many years to obtain the post of Cardinal that was awarded to the entire Asian region.
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