A mission to go in search of that one lost sheep
The Wednesday service at St. Mary's Church, Bambalapitiya
As Christians the world over and in Sri Lanka commemorate Easter Sunday, the resurrection of Jesus Christ symbolising His victory over sin and death and the promise of new life, a quiet but significant revival is taking place in the bustling city of Colombo.
It is the ‘re-branding’ of an ancient faith built on the strong foundations of selflessness, which culminated in the torture and crucifixion as witnessed on Good Friday of Christ, who promised eternal life for anyone and everyone who believed in Him.
…….And it is in the footsteps of Christ who left behind the temples, the customs and the rituals, clearly espoused in the parable about “a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep in the fold to go in search of one that had wandered away”, the City Mission of the Archdiocese of Colombo has ventured.
Based at the charming St. Anthony’s Church in Kollupitiya (Colombo 3), the City Mission, the only one of its kind in Sri Lanka, is headed by Director Fr. Asitha Hettiarachchi, also the Parish Priest, strongly supported by Fr. Shehan Kandanearachchi and Fr. Thilina Geeth.
With its mission of ‘Igniting the Fire of Faith’, the City Mission does not await with apathy for the faithful to come to them, but enthusiastically and energetically goes in search of the faithful, that one lost sheep, especially the young who are moving away from the rigid strictures and structures of the Catholic Church.
It is on Friday, March 20, a week before Good Friday that the Sunday Times witnesses the poignancy of what Fr. Hettiarachchi has told us a day before, in his office adjacent to the church.
Before the descent of night, as twilight and then dusk gently cast their mantle over a city caught up in the rat race of life, the altar of St. Anthony’s Church with its statues covered in purple cloth, as it is still Lent, is shrouded in darkness.
The one and only vessel spreading the light of hope is the monstrance within which nestles the Blessed Sacrament – the consecrated host which symbolizes the ‘body’ of Christ.
Men, women, teenagers and children flock into the church for ‘Friday Holy Fever’, as the haunting strains of the organ and vocals echo and re-echo thrusting farther and farther away the cacophony of the city, along with the fears of individuals, bringing about serenity and contentment.
Voluntarily, young and old also queue up along the corridor to make their confession (the Sacrament of Reconciliation) to priests awaiting in the confessionals.
Fr. Hettiarachchi says that the Catholic Church in recent times has been too comfortable in its thinking that the people would come to it. However, there have been many indications that the church needs to go to the people to tell them about the beauty of what Christ preached, the core of which is ‘selflessness’ which He not just actively propagated and promoted but also proved through the crucifixion.
“There is also a need to make the devout look deeper into this religion that they trust and believe in,” he says, explaining that when St. Anthony’s Church arranged for its parishioners to journey to Kimbulapitiya in Negombo recently for the ‘Way of the Cross’ (also known as the Stations of the Cross – a 14-step commemoration of the agonized journey of Christ up Calvary for His crucifixion), six buses had to be hired.
Fr. Asitha Hettiarachchi
“We, the church, need to give ear to the flock,” says Fr. Hettiarachchi, pointing out that the ‘Box of Intentions’ they keep in the church is full of pleas from broken-hearted people. “We may not be able to give them answers to all their troubles but we can pray for them and with them.”
It is on seeing the trials and tribulations of the flock that Fr. Hettiarachchi suggested the setting up of the City Mission in Colombo, with a clamour now originating from out of the city for similar establishments.
Looking closely at young Catholics, he says: “We have given everything to them but not the understanding that Christ is alive. This is why these children move away from the faith. We are now introducing with vigour the ‘Living Christ’ to our young.”
During Lent – which began on Ash Wednesday, February 18, and ended on Good Friday, April 3 – the City Mission had organized many programmes. They included the ‘Rise & Renew 40 Days Lenten Prayer Service’ encompassing a daily prayer service from Monday to Saturday, with Holy Mass being celebrated on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. (Lent is a 40-day penitential preparation with voluntary fasting and abstinence, modelled on the time Christ prayed and fasted in the wilderness before He began His public ministry.)
The other offerings to the flock from the City Mission are ‘Thursdays of Grace’ every Thursday at 6.30 p.m. with evenings of Praise and Worship, Holy Mass and Eucharistic Adoration and ‘Friday Holy Fever’ once again at 6.30 p.m. every last Friday of the month.
The young flock in to St. Anthony's Church, Kollupitiya for 'Friday Holy Fever'. Pix by Nilan Maligaspe
Moving to the neighbouring parish of St. Mary’s Church, Bambalapitiya, every Wednesday, the City Mission celebrates at 6.15 p.m. an Evening of Praise & Worship and the Holy Spirit Novena before the Blessed Sacrament ending with Holy Mass. This is while healing and anointing of the sick take place every last Wednesday of the month.
With much humility, Fr. Hettiarachchi talks of the popularity of the Bible Study course which the City Mission has launched. “Through this study, people get to know the word of God in depth and grow in faith, understanding and prayer. Sixty five have already deepened their knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, discovered God’s plan and experienced spiritual renewal.”
Smilingly, he says that while the prayer services of the City Mission uplift the spirituality of the participants, no one goes home hungry – for the seeni-sambol buns and coffee (like the feeding of the multitude by Christ) served to all, are the talk of the town!
There is an open invitation from Fr. Hettiarachchi to all those tired of the noise of life who wish to step into silence, sit with Christ and receive His mercy: “Come as you are. Christ is waiting for you.”
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