Features

POPE FRANCIS AS I KNEW HIM

Published

1 year ago

2025/05/4

Fr. Vimal with the Pope

It was about 8.30 am on April 21, 2025, the day after Easter when we were getting ready to continue the joy of the triumphant resurrection of Jesus Christ that the Italian TV stations began to give a shock to most of us with the announcement of the sudden death of Pope Francis at 7.35 am that day.

Although he was 88-years and was convalescing from the complexities of double bilateral multi-microbial pneumonia and multiple bronchioectasis attacks, it was a ‘shock’ because hardly 24 hours before, he had appeared on the balcony of St.Peter’s Basilica to deliver the customary Urbi et Orbi blessing. That day, he even summoned courage, in spite of his apparent frailty, to ride one last time in the popemobile among the thousands of faithful gathered at St.Peter’s Square which in retrospect appears to be his way of bidding farewell to the people he loved so much.

One news agency reported his passing away in these fitting words: “Pope Francis slipped quietly from this world—his departure marked not by spectacle, but by the same humility and human closeness that defined his pontificate”.

Simplicity of life

In 2013, he was elected Pope, thus, becoming the first Jesuit to become a Successor of St. Peter, the Apostle to whom Jesus entrusted his Church. He took the name Francis. It was the first time this name was adopted by a Pope of the Catholic Church, to honour the great Italian saint of the poor, St. Francis of Assisi who lived a simple and poor life, imitating the gospel value of detachment.

Till the end, Pope Francis tried his best to live up to his adopted papal name ‘Francis’ not only by living a simple, detached life, but also by reaching out to the poor and to those condemned to live in the margins of both the Church and the wider society in the world. This was nothing new for Bergoglio (as I regularly hear from my Argentinian students in Rome) because even as the Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he was known for his simple lifestyle, such as travelling by public transport (bus, train and metro/sub-way) and for living in an ordinary flat cooking his own meals. This is something unheard of with regard to a vast majority of the Episcopal dignitaries in the contemporary Catholic Church.

It is the custom that immediately after the election of a new Pope within the closed doors of the Sistine Chapel adjacent to St.Peter’s Basilica, he is presented to the world from the front balcony of the Basilica, and then, to read a traditional prayer by him, and then, to impart his first papal blessing on those gathered in the massive piazza of St. Peter’s. However, I still remember when Cardinal Bergoglio was presented to the crowds as the new Pope, his first words were: “Buona Sera!” which means “Good Evening”!

Then, he bent before the thousands gathered in St.Peter’s Square that memorable evening, and said: “Please pray that God may grant his grace upon me to fulfill this immense responsibility as the Bishop of Rome”. There was pin-drop silence as the people sensed a moment of special grace. Those of us who were watching this unprecedented event were saying to ourselves: “Well, here is a Pope who will make a difference for the Church and the world”! And that’s precisely what Pope Francis did during the memorable 12 years of his papacy. He has initiated so many ecclesial processes, and the Church will no longer be the same!

Pope Francis will go down in history as the Pope who led a very simple life style. He had a certain allergy to all the glamorous ecclesiastical titles about which some of the Church leaders are so obsessed with even today. At a time when some of them insist on them being addressed as “My Lord”, “Your Grace”, “Your Eminence”,….etc., Pope Francis shunned all such archaic and feudalistic ecclesiastical titles, and signed all the official documents by the simple word “Francis”.

He also wanted himself to be called by the simple name “Francis”. This was an effort to live up to the words of Jesus Christ who insisted that the Apostles and their successors (the future Church leaders), be ‘servants’ of the flocks entrusted to them rather than being the ‘rulers’ or ‘masters’ over them.

Just a few days after his election as Pope, some of us were waiting to get a glimpse of him near the Basilica of St.John Lateran (which is also the Cathedral of Rome) as he came to take possession of his Cathedra (the throne) there as the Bishop of Rome. As the time for the ceremony approached, a line of posh cars carrying eminent Church personnel passed by, and we were wondering whether the new Pope, too, had already passed by without us noticing him. But then, a small Fiat car came at last with the new Pope seated in the front seat just next to the chauffer, waving at the cheering crowds!

Right from the beginning, he did not want to use the official car/s assigned to the Pope by the Vatican. Even later, when a rich philanthropist donated him a limousine for his use, Francis (with the donor’s permission) sold it and gave the money to the poor. Moreover, instead of living in the traditional Apostolic Palace, he opted to live in a simple flat at Casa de Santa Marta inside the Vatican.

The same simplicity was also manifested by his refusal to allow others to carry his brief case. Thus, it was quite a familiar sight to see how Francis was carrying his own brief case while boarding a plane. This practice continued till he got bound to a wheel chair later in life, due to health problems. At a time when it is a common sight to see an entourage of persons running behind most of the contemporary ecclesiastical dignitaries carrying the personal belongings and documents of their ‘masters’ and ‘lords’, this surely was a prophetic sign on the part of Francis.

The Pope of Mercy

If there is one defining characteristic of his papacy, it was his stress on God’s mercy in both word and action. As a matter of fact, the motto on his coat of arms read: “miserando atque eligendo“. It is a quotation taken from the homily of St.Bede (an eighth-century English writer who is also a Doctor of the Church) on the calling of the Apostle St.Mathew in the gospel according to Mathew which would amount to in English: “Having mercy (on Mathew), Jesus called Mathew.”

In fact, at the very first Wednesday Public Audience held by the new Pope in March 2013, he revealed how impressed he was by a book he had read (written by the German theologian Cardinal Walter Kasper) because it summed up the whole of what Jesus Christ proclaimed, namely, God’s mercy for all, especially for those who are forgotten and marginalized.

Two years later, he declared an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy from 2015 to 2016 in order to promote this great virtue around which – according to St. Thomas Aquinas – all the other virtues revolve.

Just as Jesus of Nazareth was, so also Francis desperately wanted a merciful Church. This is most evident in his Amoris Laetitia, wherein using the Bible, the Church Fathers, the leading theologians of the Church such as Sts. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, and the teachings of his predecessors Francis highlighted the importance of reconciling with the Church community those who had been marginalized by the Church due to their falling short of what the Church teaches on marriage and family.

His efforts to reconcile the divorced and remarried Catholics (based mainly on his predecessor Pope John Paul II) was not accepted by quite a number of Church leaders – both bishops and priests – mostly out of ignorance of what the Pope really taught or out of ignorance of what the real Catholic moral tradition had been.

The Pope of the People

Francis often repeated his own phrase that the clergy as the Shepherds of the people (the sheep) need to have “the smell of the sheep”. He was open to all, both the righteous and the unrighteous, just as Jesus was. That’s why he often expressed aloud his desire to see a Church with open doors for all. He wanted a Church which soils her hands with the muck and the mud of the streets by being with the people, especially those marginalized by the Church.

Just as his predecessors had done, he too, was a Pope who worked against violence and war wherever they were because according to him, every war was a loss to humanity. One of the terms which has traditionally being used to refer to the Pope has been “Pontefice” (‘Pontiff’ in English) which means “the bridge builder” especially between two factions. Once, he even spontaneously went on his knees and kissed the feet of the rival leaders of the Sudanese conflict, imploring them earnestly to agree for a Peace Accord.

In the same vein, he was also a true Pontiff in promoting relations between the different Christian Churches (Ecumenism) and among the diverse religions (inter-religious dialogue). As a long-standing member of the ARCIC (Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission) and as a theological adviser to the FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences), I am a personal witness to Francis’ personal commitment to the above. Moreover, his monumental agreement on the Universal Human Fraternity with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayeb in the United Arab Emirates in 2019, as well as his Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti in 2020 are part of his legacy as Pope.

Fr. Vimal with Pope Francis

Personal Experience

Although I had the chance to see him many times, I also had the great blessing to meet him personally at least on 20 occasions. My first personal encounter with him was in October 2014 during the Synod of Bishops in Rome, as peritus (theological adviser) to the bishops of the FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences). Thereafter, I met him almost every year as a member of the Roman Catholic delegation to the ARCIC (Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission), a member of the Theological Commission for the synodal process and as a non-Episcopal voting member at the two Assemblies of the Synod on Synodality.

It was at these latter Assembly sessions which lasted one month each in October 2023 and October 2024 that I came to know him best. He came out to me first of all, as a fellow human being who spoke while looking at my eyes, taking me seriously. Many were the times when he nostalgically remembered his visit to Sri Lanka in January 2015 during which he canonized our beloved Apostle of Sri Lanka St.Joseph Vaz. On one such occasion when he said: “You know, crowds were cheering me under scorching sun on my way to Colombo from the airport”, I replied: “Well Holy Father, I was one among that massive crowd standing in front of my house enroute to Colombo”. Then he humorously said with a twinkle in his eye: “Oh! If I knew, I would have got down just to greet you!”

Then there were also moments when he advised me saying: “As a moral theologian, a son of the great St.Alphonsus, you have a big role to play in today’s complex realities!” Often, his face was full with a broad smile in spite of the many burdens he had to shoulder and the many criticisms he had to face. In fact, most of his official teaching documents had cheerful, uplifting titles, such as “Evangelii Gaudium” (the Joy of the Gospel), “Amoris Laetitia” (the Joy of Love), “Gaudete et Exsultate” (“Rejoice and be Glad”), …etc.

But there were also moments when I have seen him in a deep, pensive mood. That he was a man of firm faith in God was obvious at every meeting with him, whether official or personal, when he earnestly asked: “Please do not forget to pray for me!”. As Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re wound up his homily at the papal funeral mass said: “Pope Francis used to conclude his speeches and meetings by saying ‘Do not forget to pray for me.’

Dear Pope Francis, we now ask you to pray for us. May you bless the Church, bless Rome, and bless the whole world as you did last Sunday from the balcony of this Basilica in a final embrace with all the people of God, but also embrace humanity that seeks the truth with a sincere heart and holds high the torch of hope”.

Last but not least, though Pope Francis is not yet officially canonized by the Church, those who knew him are confident that he is already in the bosom of God. His death, just a day after Easter, has been seen by many as symbolically fitting. The resurrection he had preached only hours before has now become the hope to which he entrusted his soul. May you rest in Peace and rise in Glory, dear Pope Francis!

Rev. Fr. Vimal Tirimanna, CssR,
in Rome

All News Advertisement

Features

Proactive peacemaking becomes a paramount need

Published

19 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Wasting wars: Some war-displaced people in Lebanon. BBC

It may be some time before the full impact of food inflation is felt in the West. Until such time the world would continue to keep itself in suspense over whether the Trump administration is in earnest when it seeks to convey the impression that it is backing a negotiated solution in West Asia.

As is usually the case, consumer stress would be one of the final determinants of political change. To the degree to which the average US consumer somehow ‘muddles through’ and puts the food on the table, to the same extent would the Republican sections of the US public in particular be tolerant of the Trump administration’s inconsistent handling of the West Asian war and the main issues stemming from it. That is, there would be no grave popular disaffection and a demand for political change in the short term.

However, the indications are that the Trump administration’s support base is suffering some erosion in the wake of the current economic crisis. While reports indicate that Democratic sections are firming-up their opposition to the political centre, Republican support for Trump is also showing signs of waning, we are given to understand.

The above developments are probably why Trump is on record as having given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a ‘dressing down’ recently on his seeming intransigence on the question of giving negotiations a chance in West Asia. The show of displeasure could be really aimed by Trump at containing the impatience of the American public.

However, the current ground situation in the Middle East, particularly the uncontained bloodshed, is likely to impress on the thinking sections of the world that more than temporary political change is needed in West Asia and the US.

A well thought out political solution that addresses all the contentious issues at the heart of the Middle East conflict is what enlightened opinion would demand, and very rightly. Right now, the ‘peace efforts’ initiated by the Trump administration give the impression of being piecemeal solutions at best.

There have been, of course, numerous initiatives in the past aimed at bringing permanent peace to the Middle East. These failed mainly because they did not address in full the root causes of the conflict.

At bottom the Middle East conflict is mainly about race and religious hate bred by socio-economic and material inequalities. For instance, if the Palestinian people were not displaced and deprived of land occupied by them at the time of the founding of the Israeli state, ethnic enmities would not have grown to the current unmanageable proportions.

When addressing the above questions, though, it must be remembered that the Israelis too were a displaced people who were entitled to land and a state of their own in the Middle East. Basically, out of these seemingly irreconcilable and conflicting demands have grown the Middle East imbroglio.

Middle East peace is considerably about reconciling these demands and arriving at a solution that would ensure the creation of two states that would opt for peaceful co-existence thereafter.

As long as the US does not see the need for a non-partisan solution that addresses the needs of both ethnicities and religions and goes all-out, as it were, to have it implemented, the Middle East would continue to bleed.

However, staunching the blood flow through the creation of two states would be only half the job done, though a very important part of it. More pernicious, pervasive and difficult to remedy are the inter-ethnic and inter-religious hatreds that have been unleashed over the decades.

However, if substantial, long-lasting peace is to be fostered in the region the latter ‘demons’ would need to be exorcised from the hearts and minds of the communities concerned. No doubt an uphill task but one that must be undertaken by those who wish the region well.

The UN would need to put its ‘best foot forward’ in such undertakings but it is time that it dawned on the international community and other caring quarters that Middle East peace, and all other such uphill challenges, require proactive peacemaking on the part of all civilized sections for their effective management. That is, public involvement in peacemaking too is a must.

Since hatreds are harboured in the human consciousness the enmities embedded in the latter need to be managed and defused judiciously alongside other undertakings in a peace process. In the case of West Asia, such enmities could be even spread globe-wide besides being multi-dimensional. For instance, it ought to be thought-provoking that Iran is insistent on a peace initiative that would also include Lebanon.

Besides security considerations it is also ethnic and religious affiliations that account for Iran making this demand. For instance, the Shias are a numerically important religious community in Lebanon and they provide a significant number of Hizbollah fighters, who are in a vital sense carrying out a ‘proxy war’ for Iran. It also needs to be factored in that Iran is a Shia-majority country.

Thus trans-border religious affiliations could add to the complexities and enormity of ethno-religious conflicts. However, the task of managing centuries-long enmities needs to be launched and prodded on with by peacemakers since a downing of arms alone would not guarantee substantive peace.

It is not realized sufficiently that the process of ending hatreds begins with mutual apologies by antagonists to a conflict for the harm inflicted on each other. This would be anathema in some ears but there is no getting away from the requirement. It is the vital first step to permanent peace anywhere.

In fact there could be no reconciliation worth speaking of without such mutual apologies. It is a point worth re-iterating in these times when even the government of Sri Lanka is voicing the need for national reconciliation. Well, without the words, ‘I am sorry’, there could be no permanent end to enmities – they would do well to remember.

The above requirements may not go down very well with governments, but they resonate in the hearts and minds of most people, since they are inheritors of religious traditions of some kind.

This is a principal reason why peacemaking works well when publics too are involved in them. The effectiveness of such campaigns increases several fold when they have a Mahatma Gandhi or a Jawaharlal Nehru at their helm. A strong proactive involvement by the public in peace could lead to the emergence of such leaders at some point in these campaigns.

Features

Dialog Brings Sri Lanka’s Largest Digital Vesak Experience to Matara

Published

19 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

From left to right: Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, and Lasantha Theverapperuma experience the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered VR tours.

Official Digital Partner of the 2026 ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone

Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, collaborated with the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to bring one of Sri Lanka’s largest and most technologically advanced Vesak experiences to the ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone. The three-day celebration, in Matara attracted more than hundred thousand visitors, who engaged with a series of innovative digital activities powered by Dialog 5G Ultra, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, digital pandols and a Data Dansala. The opening ceremony was attended by Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development and Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, along with distinguished guests and Dialog’s senior management.

One of the key attractions at the venue was the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered Virtual Reality (VR) experience, which attracted more than 35,000 participants. The activation enabled devotees to virtually visit and pay homage to sacred Buddhist sites, including the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in India and the Atamasthana in Anuradhapura, directly from the Vesak zone in Matara.

Visitors receive complimentary mobile data through Dialog’s QR-powered Data Dansala.

Dialog also conducted an AI Digital Vesak Greeting Card Competition from 21 May to 01 June 2026, attracting numerous entries from across the country. The shortlisted designs were showcased across 20 large LED screens throughout the venue and across Matara City, and were also made available for download via mobile devices. Further, through the use of AI, traditional Jathaka Katha were reimagined in a digital format, demonstrating how technology can be used to preserve and enhance cultural and religious heritage. Together, these initiatives blended traditional Vesak celebrations with emerging technologies, offering visitors a unique and immersive way to engage with Vesak traditions.

Extending the spirit of Vesak through connectivity, Dialog conducted a special Data Dansala powered by its QR Reload platform, enabling visitors to receive complimentary mobile data by scanning QR codes placed across the venue. In addition to the Matara National Vesak Zone, similar Data Dansala activations were also conducted at the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones in Colombo.Visitors also had the opportunity to create personalised Vesak-themed digital photos through an AI Photo Booth, generating AI-enhanced portraits using their own photographs and adding a contemporary digital element to the Vesak celebrations.

Visitors watch AI-generated Jathaka Katha

Commenting on the initiative, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, said, “The 2026 Dakshina Prabha Vesak Festival marked the first time AI-powered digital innovations were incorporated into a National Vesak Festival in Sri Lanka. Presenting Buddhist stories and teachings through technology created a new and engaging way for visitors to connect with these traditions. We thank Dialog for supporting this initiative and for working closely with us to bring our vision to life. Their contribution played an important role in making this first-of-its-kind event a reality.”

Lasantha Theverapperuma, Group Chief Marketing Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC said, “We thank the Government of Sri Lanka for the opportunity to support the 2026 Dakshina Prabha National Vesak Festival and for embracing technology as part of this year’s celebrations. As the Official Digital Partner, we were privileged to contribute through our Dialog 5G Ultra and AI capabilities, creating new ways for visitors to engage with Vesak traditions while preserving their cultural significance for future generations.”

Beyond supporting the National Vesak Zone in Matara, Dialog also enhanced the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones through a range of digital activations during the Vesak season. The company additionally continued its sustainability initiatives, including the Thirasara Aloka Poojawa, which illuminated rural places of worship through solar-powered lighting solutions.

Features

Beauty, elegance and talent…for women

Published

19 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Universal Woman is an international pageant focused on “beauty, elegance, and talent” for women, positioning itself as a platform to shape global ambassadors. The 2026 edition will be held in Cambodia, and Sri Lanka will be there, as well.

According to reports coming my way, contestants, at the international event, will work with industry trailblazers, under international standards.

Sri Lankan supermodel, runway and pageant trainer Chulpadmendra Kumarapathirana, is the National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026.

With over two decades in the industry, Chula was crowned Miss Sri Lanka 2006, and has since shaped the next generation of titleholders through her Colombo-based Chulpadmendra Catwalk Studio, widely regarded as one of the country’s leading modelling academies.

The team behind Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026

A former host of Derana Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World 2008 and a judge for Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2025, Chula now serves as National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026, leading the franchise’s search for Sri Lanka’s delegate to the international final in Cambodia.

Applications for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 are being taken, via WhatsApp: 077 659 4994, says Chula.

The judging panel for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 includes Senaka De Silva, Pageant Aesthetic Advisor & Chairperson of the Judging Panel, Angela Seneviratne, Caroline Jurie, Rozelle Plunkett, and Suraj Mapa.

Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 officially began its journey with a first round of auditions, held in Colombo, marking the start of an exciting new chapter in Sri Lanka’s pageant industry.

Launching the first round of auditions

The platform aims to empower women while selecting an intelligent, confident, and inspiring representative to compete at the Universal Woman International Pageant 2026 in Cambodia, this September.

Universal Woman Sri Lanka now moves forward with the vision of creating one of the country’s most prestigious and empowering pageants while preparing to crown a queen who will proudly represent Sri Lanka on the international stage.