News
A Latin Choral Requiem Mass in Negombo for Emeritus Archbishop Nicholas Marcus Fernando
“Missa Pro Defunctis” – the solemn Requiem Mass in accordance with the old Roman Latin Rite will be celebrated in all its solemnity at 6 pm on Friday April 16th, 2021 at St. Mary’s Church, Main Street, Negombo. It will be presided over by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Colombo’s Archbishop, his auxiliaries and several bishops together with over 200 priests.
It is noteworthy that the late Archbishop, in his Last Will and Testament had specifically requested that his funeral Mass and the final Rites be conducted entirely in Latin. His death on April 10, 2020 and the final ceremony thereafter, had to be curtailed owing to the rising Covid-19 pandemic and therefore, his last wish was left unfulfilled.
However, to commemorate his first death anniversary, the Archdiocese of Colombo has deemed it fit to fulfil the late Archbishop’s final request by conducting a solemn sung Eucharistic Celebration based on the traditional Latin Rite, thereby revealing the mystical charm of the Gregorian chants. Before the Vatican II Council, all Catholic faithful throughout the world were able to regularly experience the profound pathos of such a requiem when bidding farewell to their dearly beloved.
Thus, a vibrant choir of over 100 men and women, all being past students of Ave Maria Convent, Maris Stella College, Loyola College, St. Jude’s College and St. Aloysius’ Seminary, as well as from the Parish youth choir, banding themselves together as the “Pueri Cantores Choir”, for the past several weeks have been training assiduously under the guidance of an exacting choral director. In order to accompany them, a talented orchestral ensemble is ready to present together, sacred songs written in Sinhala, English and Tamil to the extent the liturgy permits such a diversity. For the choristers and the faithful alike, this sacred event will offer a rich experience of the incomparable beauty and piety of the Roman Catholic liturgy.
The entire Mass and final Funeral Rite will be set in the somber yet sadly sweet style of the Gregorian tradition. However, at the culmination, the great choir along with the orchestra will explode into the glorious strains of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus”, changing the scene into a celebratory exultation for the life and toil of a noble servant of God, Archbishop Nicholas Marcus Fernando. It will be in thanksgiving for his indefatigable service in guiding the Archdiocese of Colombo with equal gentleness and firmness for over a quarter of a century during the most turbulent period in the history of our Country and the Church.
The people of Lanka’s “Little Rome” who have been mourning their loss in silence will now assemble in their numbers to proclaim;
“Well done good and faithful servant, our gentle Shepherd, and even as
your mortal remains lie within our sacred edifice of Mother Mary, our hearts will cherish
your fragrant memories for long years to come.”
The main Opposition, Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday (21) moved Supreme Court against Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana over his failure to provide funds required by the Election Commission to conduct the Local Government polls, ignoring an interim order issued by the apex court, on 03 March.
Ranjith Madduma Bandara, MP, is the petitioner for the SJB and Vijitha Herath, MP, moved court on behalf of the JVP, the leading party in the Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB).
Two Opposition parties declared action against Siriwardana the day after the Freedom People’s Alliance (FPA) issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Finance Secretary to release the funds.
EC Chairman Nimal Punchihewa is on record as having said that in spite of SC directive he didn’t receive fresh funding.
The petitioners sought the issuance of summons on Siriwardana for contempt of court over failure to carry out its interim orders, given on 03 March.
The petitioners want the Finance Secretary punished in terms of Article 105 (3) of the Constitution.
The SJB stated that Siriwardana had refrained from carrying out the March directives, on the basis of a Cabinet decision, taken on 13 Feb., 2023. The SJB also pointed out that the offensive conduct of the Treasury Secretary, inter alia, causes grave prejudice to the esteemed authority of the Supreme Court and in turn disturb the public confidence in the authority of the highest Court in the country. (SF)
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara told Parliament yesterday that fuel prices would be reduced considerably according to the fuel price formula at the next fuel price revision, due in April.
The Minister said that the government would be able to procure fuel shipments, at lower prices, during competitive bidding, with the receipt of the IMF bailout.
There had been practical issues, and problems, in opening Letters of Credit, and obtaining credit facilities, in the recent past, as Sri Lanka could not give a guarantee to fuel suppliers, Minister Wijesekara said.
“We could not open LCs and obtain credit facilities when procuring fuel. After the IMF bailout, we will be able to procure fuel at lower prices during competitive biddings. We will be able to obtain a long-term credit facility as well. Fuel prices in the global market seem to have declined and the rupee has also gained strength against the US Dollar. Having considered all these factors, fuel prices will be reduced by a considerable margin which could be felt by the people,” he said.
News
IGP tells CID not to brook any interference from any quarter while they probe ’Harak Kata’ and ‘Kudu Salindu’
By Norman Palihawadane
IGP CD Wickramaratne has directed the CID to maintain a special log of names and details of any attempts by external parties to influene the ongoing investigations on notorious drug traffickers Nandun Chinthaka Wickramaratne aka Harak Kata and Salindu Malshika aka Kudu Salindu.
The suspects are currently under the custody of the CID.
The IGP issued the orders to the DIG CID and its director during a meeting of senior police officers on Monday, police headquarters said.
Sources said that the IGP has further instructed not to allow statements from the detainees to be taken by any police team other than the team currently investigating the suspects.
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