Features
Welcoming the Seventh Bishop of Kandy: Bishop Valence Mendis

On 9th October 2021, the Vatican announced the appointment of Rt. Rev. Dr. Valence Mendis (Bishop of Chilaw) as the Bishop of Kandy by His Holiness Pope Francis, succeeding Bishop Vianney Fernando on his retirement after a very fruitful and record-breaking long episcopate spanning more than 38 years. His installation as the 7th Bishop of Kandy will take place on 17th January 2022 at St. Anthony’s Cathedral, Kandy at a ceremony to be presided over by Bishop Vianney after which he will simultaneously shepherd the Diocese of Chilaw as its Apostolic Administrator.
Bishop Valence is no stranger to Kandy. Soon after his ordination as a priest for the Diocese of Chilaw on 20th July 1985, he was given as a “fidei donum priest” (i.e temporarily ‘loaned’) to the Diocese of Kandy by the late Bishop Frank Marcus Fernando, for a period of two years. This was in response to a request made by Bishop Vianney for a young priest to tide over a crisis arising out of a dearth of priests in the Diocese of Kandy. Thus, on 15th August 1985, the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven, a young, handsome, pleasant priest celebrated the 5.30 p.m. Holy Mass at St. Anthony’s Cathedral, Kandy. The Holy Mass was edifying and the sermon was inspiring and the people of Kandy took an instant liking to this young priest whom the then Parish Priest, the late Rev. Fr Gregory Fernando introduced as “Fr. Valence Mendis who has been loaned to the Diocese of Kandy by the Bishop of Chilaw for a short period”.
Impressed both by his abilities as well as his priestly commitment, Bishop Vianney recommended to Bishop Frank Marcus in early 1987 that Fr. Valence should pursue higher studies. This was readily agreed upon by Bishop Frank Marcus who extended his period in the Diocese of Kandy by two more years so that he could read for a Master’s Degree at the University of Peradeniya.
He was transferred as the Parish Priest of Padiwatte in 1987, where he effectively used his talents and managed his time to nurture the parish and build up a vibrant community while pursuing his university career.
During this time, he also made use of his talents as a musician, lyricist and vocalist. His melodious rendition of his own composition “wdor foú iñf|a“ (Aadara Devi Saminde) in the first ever audio cassette produced by the Diocese of Kandy in 1987 to commemorate the tercentenary of the arrival of St. Joseph Vaz in Sri Lanka in 1687 and the centenary of the Diocese, is still fresh in the minds of the people. (In recognition of his contribution to produce the cassette, Bishop Vianney decided to name it “wdor foú iñf|a“.
He reached out to all people without any form of favouritism or discrimination. To him all were children of God. He did not condemn the rich, but inspired them to care for the needy and the down-trodden. By his actions and persuasion, and through his inspiring and meaningful sermons he showed that one can work for the upliftment of the poor as well as act against injustice and abuse without being portrayed as a revolutionary. When it came to serving the poor or anyone in need, he always advised the people to reach out to them – (“walk the extra mile for the sake of others” was his favourite saying), and his advice was well heeded by the people because he practiced what he preached. Special mention must be made about how he guided and safeguarded the youth of the Padiwatte Parish (both Catholic and Buddhist) during the turbulent period of youth unrest and violence in 1988/1989.
He presented his thesis on “Ritualism in Buddhism” and obtained a Master of Arts degree in Comparative Religion from the University of Peradeniya in 1989.
His brief stay of 2 ½ years as Parish Priest of Padiwatte culminated with the very meaningful celebration of the 35th Anniversary of the Fatima Shrine (the only Marian Shrine of the Diocese of Kandy) in October 1989. At the conclusion of the celebrations, Bishop Vianney publicly thanked him for his services to the Diocese and announced that he would henceforth revert to the Diocese of Chilaw.
In fact, when Bishop Vianney had thanked Bishop Franck Marcus for giving him a very good priest, he had said: “when I give, I give of my best”. On his return to the Diocese of Chilaw, Bishop Frank Marcus decided that his talents should be made use of to train, guide and mould the future priests of Sri Lanka. Thus began his career at the National Seminary, Ampitiya, in October 1989.
From the National Seminary he proceeded to Rome in September 1992 to read for a Doctorate in Philosophy at the Urban University. I realized the importance of his doctoral thesis (Philosophy of Creation in St. Thomas Aquinas: MAKING GOD INTELLIGIBLE TO NON-THEISTS”), only when I heard the then Abbot General of the Sylvestro-Benedictine Congregation telling him in June 1993: “Young man, you have chosen a daring subject for your thesis. I wish you good luck!”. On successfully defending his doctoral thesis within a short period of two years, he returned to the National Seminary in October 1994 and was appointed the Dean of Philosophy. When a decision was taken by the Bishops’ Conference to house the Philosophy students at a separate location, he was entrusted with the task of supervising the designing and construction of the new complex. The magnificent complex housing the Philosophate is ample proof of his versatility.
Having served the National Seminary as its first Director of the Philosphate (from October 2000) and thereafter as the Rector (from 4th February 2001), he was ordained the Co-adjutor Bishop of Chilaw on 2nd April 2005. He succeeded Bishop Frank Marcus as the Bishop of Chilaw on his retirement on 28th October 2006.
His deep spirituality which is focused on Christ and his devotion to Mother Mary and the Saints are worthy of emulation. His, is a spirituality which is a combination of prayer and action – a spirituality based on Jesus’ message of love and concern not only for the poor, the needy and the oppressed, but for all people.
Unity and charity are two words that are very dear to him – two virtues he practices very much. He is a keen promoter of unity in families, in communities, in parishes and also among peoples of different cultures, ethnicity and creed. Charity, he practices to the hilt. Therefore, it was no wonder that he chose as his motto “UNIRE OMNES IN CARITATE” (i.e., To Unite All In Charity). Indeed, his motto is a true reflection of what he has been and his vision for the future.
Up to now, Bishop Valence has shepherded the Diocese of Chilaw for 15 years. For the sake of brevity, his numerous works for the spiritual nourishment and social upliftment of his flock are not enumerated here. It suffices to mention that his commitment to justice, peace and other social issues has beautifully blended with the ultimate goal of proclaiming Jesus Christ and his message of love and peace.
He is with a smile even in times of crisis. He personifies the servant who doubled his talents for his master (as mentioned in Jesus’ parable – Mathew 25:14-30) because he continues to make full use of his gifts for the sake of Christ, His Church and His people. He put the needs of the Church above everything else when he acceded to the request of the Holy Father, Pope Francis. Shepherding two Dioceses simultaneously is no easy task. Yet his zeal and commitment combined with his total trust and faith in God through the intercession of Mother Mary and the Saints will surely help him to be a true shepherd – a shepherd unto God’s heart (cf. Jeremiah 3:15).
The Diocese of Kandy is fortunate to have in Bishop Valence a worthy successor to Bishop Vianney as its seventh Bishop, and he has the unique distinction of succeeding two erudite and much respected Bishops of Sri Lanka in contemporary times and also simultaneously shepherding two important Dioceses, Chilaw and Kandy.
Born and bred in Moratuwa; ordained a Priest for the Diocese of Chilaw; formative years as a newly ordained priest in the Diocese of Kandy; assists the Church in Sri Lanka in guiding and moulding its future priests; goes back to the Diocese of Chilaw as its shepherd; and now comes back to the Diocese of Kandy as its shepherd while not abandoning the Diocese of Chilaw. The “fidei donum priest” of 1985 becomes the Bishop of the Diocese in 2022! All these form God’s mysterious providential plan for all of us – HIS Chosen Children through our Baptism. No wonder God tells us: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways … My thoughts are above your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9), and invites us to place our faith and trust in HIM for: “With God nothing is impossible” (Luke 1:37).
As Bishop Valence takes over the Diocese of Kandy, it is our duty to seek the intercession of Mother Mary and the Saints and pray that Almighty God will grant him long life, good health, prudence, and wisdom so that he will be a good shepherd to the flock (in both Dioceses of Chilaw and Kandy) entrusted to his care by the LORD.
Ad Multos Anos
in the Vineyard of the Lord and welcome to Kandy, dear Bishop Devasritha Valence Mendis!
Victor Silva (FCA, FCMA, MCIM – Retired)
Features
Religious extremism set to gain from rising Israel-Iran hostilities

Many of the international pronouncements on the current dangerously escalating Israel-Iran hostilities could be seen as lacking in adequate balance and comprehensiveness. The majority of these reactions could be said to be failing in addressing the aspects of the conflict that matter most.
For example, there is the recent UN General Assembly resolution on the crisis which calls for an ‘immediate, unconditional and lasting ceasefire in the Gaza’ and which goes on to urge ‘Member States to take necessary steps to ensure Israel complies with its international legal obligations.’ An immediate and durable ceasefire is indeed the number one requirement in the Middle East today but could it be ‘unconditional’? Could it ignore the principal requirement of Israel’s security? These posers need to be addressed as well.
Besides, it is not only Israel that should be compelled to meet its ‘international legal obligations.’ All the states and actors that feature in the conflict need to be alerted to their ‘international legal obligations’. While it goes without saying that Israel must meet its international legal obligations fully, the same goes for Iran and all other Middle Eastern countries that enjoy UN membership and who are currently at odds with Israel. For instance, Israel is a UN member state that enjoys equal sovereignty with other states within the UN fold. No such state could seek to ‘bomb Israel out of existence’ for example.
As a significant ‘aside’ it needs to be mentioned that we in Sri Lanka should consider it appropriate to speak the truth in these matters rather than dabble in what is ‘politically correct’. It has been seen as ‘politically correct’ for Sri Lankan governments in particular to take up the cause of only the Palestinians over the decades without considering the legitimate needs of the Israelis. However, a lasting solution to the Middle East imbroglio is impossible to arrive at without taking into account the legitimate requirements of both sides to the conflict.
The G7, meanwhile, is right in stating that ‘Israel has a right to defend itself’, besides ‘reiterating our support for the security of Israel’ but it urges only ‘a de-escalation’ of hostilities and does not call for a ceasefire, which is of prime importance.
It is only an enduring ceasefire that could lay the basis for a cessation of hostilities which could in turn pave the way for the provision of UN humanitarian assistance to the people of the Gaza uninterruptedly for the foreseeable future. There is no getting away from the need for a durable downing of arms which could engender the environment required for negotiations between the warring parties.
Meanwhile, some 22 Muslim majority countries have ‘warned that continued escalation threatens to ignite a broader regional conflict that could destabilize the Middle East’ and called ‘for a return to negotiations as the only solution regarding Iran’s nuclear program.’ This statement addresses some important issues in the crisis but one hopes that the pronouncement went on to call for negotiations that would take up the root causes for the conflict as well and pointed to ways that could address them. For instance, there is no getting away from the ‘Two State Solution’ that envisages peaceful coexistence between the principal warring parties.
The ‘Two State Solution’ has been discredited by sections of the world community but it outlines the most sensible solution to the conflict. As matters stand, the current escalating hostilities, if left unchecked, could not only lead to a wider regional war of attrition but bring about the annihilation of entire populations. There is no alternative to comprehensive negotiations that take on the issues head on.
Besides, all who matter in the current discourse on the crisis need to alert themselves to the dangers of appealing to the religious identities of communities and social groups. When such appeals are made religious passions are stirred, which in turn activate extremist religious outfits that operate outside the bounds of the law and prove difficult to rein-in. This was essentially how ‘9/11’ came about. Accordingly, speaking with a sense of responsibility proves crucial.
In fact, it could be argued that a continuation of the present hostilities would only benefit the above outfits with a destructive mindset. Therefore, comprehensive and constructive negotiations are of the first importance.
The above conditions should ideally be observed by both parties to the conflict. Israel, no less than the Islamic and Arab world, needs to adhere to them. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has no choice but to say ‘No’ to extremists within his cabinet and to ‘show them the door’, inasmuch as hot-headed extremists in the Islamic and Arab world need to be opposed and alienated by the relevant governments.
Meanwhile, the US is on a duplicitous course in the Middle East. Whereas it has no choice but to rein-in Israel and convince it of the need to negotiate an end to the conflict, it is choosing to turn a blind eye to Israel’s military excesses and other irregularities that are blighting the Gazans and the ordinary people of Iran. It ought to be plain to the Trump administration that it is promoting a barbaric war of attrition by continuing to provide Israel with the most lethal weaponry. Currently, it is anybody’s guess as to what the US policy on the Middle East is.
The Islamic and Arab world, on the other hand, should come to understand the imperatives for a defusing of tensions in the region. Decades of conflict and war ought to have made it clear that the suffering of the populations concerned would not draw to a close minus a negotiated peace that ensures the wellbeing of all sections concerned.
As pointed out, the security of Israel needs to be guaranteed by those quarters opposing it. This will require the adoption of a conciliatory attitude towards Israel by state and non-state actors who have thus far been hostile towards it. There needs to be a steady build-up of goodwill on both sides of the divide. If this is fully realized by the Arab world a negotiated solution will be a realistic proposition in the Middle East.
Features
She deserves the crown

We had no luck coming our way at the Miss World 2025 contest – not even our immediate neighbour, India – but I’m glad that Miss Thailand was crowned Miss World 2025 as Thailand happens to be my second home … been to Amazing Thailand many times, courtesy of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
In fact, even before the Miss World 2025 grand finale, which was held at the beautiful venue of the HITEX Exhibition Centre, in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, my colleagues at office all predicted that Miss Thailand, Opal Suchata Chuangsri, would emerge as the winner.
Yes, indeed, Miss Thailand not only won the hearts of millions but also became the first ever Thai to claim this much sought-after title.
Prior to winning the title of Miss World 2025, Opal Suchata was Thailand’s representative at Miss Universe 2024 and took home the third runner-up title.
Her Miss Universe crown, unfortunately, was subsequently forfeited, due to a contract breach, but she did not let that demotivate her, though, and went on to compete and win the title of Miss World Thailand 2025.
Coming from a family that was in the hospitality industry, her upbringing, in this kind of environment, made her aware of her culture and helped her with her communication skills at a very young age. They say she is very fluent in Thai, English, and Chinese.
Obviously, her achievements at the Miss World 2025 contest is going to bring the 22-year-old beauty immense happiness but I couldn’t believe that this lovely girl, at 16, had surgery to remove a benign breast lump, and that made her launch the ‘Opal For Her’ campaign to promote breast health awareness and early detection of breast cancer, which also became the topic of her ‘Beauty with Purpose’ at the Miss World 2025 contest.
Opal Suchata intends to leverage her Miss World title to advocate for other women’s health issues, as well, and sponsor a number of charitable causes, specifically in women’s health.
Her victory, she says, is not just a personal achievement but a reflection of the dreams and aspirations of young girls around the world who want to be seen, heard, and create change.
What’s more, with interests in psychology and anthropology, Opal Suchata aspires to become an ambassador for Thailand, aiming to represent her country on international platforms and contribute to peace-building efforts.
She believes that regardless of age or title, everyone has a role to play in inspiring others and making a positive impact.
And, what’s more, beyond pageantry, Opal Suchata is an animal lover, caring for 16 cats and five dogs, making her a certified “fur mom.”
She also possesses a special musical ability—she can play the ukulele backwards.
Opal Suchata is already a star with many expressing admiration for her grace, leadership, and passion for making a difference in the world.
And there is also a possibility of this head-turner, from Thailand, entering the Bollywood film industry, after completing her reign as Miss World, as she has also expressed interest in this field.
She says she would love the opportunity and praised the Indian film indstry.
She akso shared her positive experience during her visit to India and her appreciation for the Telangana government.
Congratulations Opal Suchata Chuangsri from Amazing Thailand. You certainly deserve the title Miss World 2025.
What is important is that the Miss World event is among the four globally recognised beauty pageants … yes, the four major international beauty pageants for woment. The other three are Miss Universe, Miss Earth and Miss International.
Unfortunately, in our scene, you get beauty pageants popping up like mushrooms and, I would say, most of them are a waste of money and time for the participants.
Features
Wonders of Coconut Oil…

This week I thought of working on some beauty tips, using coconut oil, which is freely available, and quite affordable, as well.
Let’s start with Coconut Oil as a Moisturiser…
First, make sure your skin is clean and dry before applying the coconut oil. This will allow the oil to penetrate the skin more effectively.
Next, take a small amount of coconut oil and warm it up in your hands by rubbing them together. This will help to melt the oil and make it easier to apply.
Gently massage the oil onto your face and body, focusing on dry areas or areas that need extra hydration.
Allow the oil to absorb into your skin for a few minutes before getting dressed.
Start with a small amount and add more if needed.
* Acne and Blemishes:
Apply a small amount to the affected area and gently massage it in. Leave it on overnight and rinse off in the morning. Remember to patch test before applying it to your entire face to ensure you don’t have any adverse reactions.
* Skin Irritations:
If you’re dealing with skin irritations, coconut oil may be just what you need to find relief. Coconut oil has natural anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe and calm irritated skin.
Simply apply a thin layer of coconut oil to the affected area and gently massage it in. You can repeat this process as needed throughout the day to keep your skin calm and comfortable.
* Makeup Remover:
To use coconut oil as a makeup remover, simply apply a small amount onto a cotton pad or your fingertips and gently massage it onto your face, in circular motions. The oil will break down the makeup, including waterproof mascara and long-wearing foundation, making it easy to wipe away.
Not only does coconut oil remove makeup, but it also nourishes and hydrates the skin, leaving it feeling soft and smooth. Plus, its antibacterial properties can help prevent breakouts and soothe any existing skin irritations, so give coconut oil a try and experience its natural makeup removing abilities, and also say goodbye to acne and blemishes!
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