From 10-14 April 2023, Minister General Br Massimo Fusarelli and Definitor General for Asia-Oceania and Delegate General for Sri Lanka Br John Wong visited the Foundation of St Joseph Vaz in Sri Lanka. The Vicar Provincial of the Province of San Pedro Bautista in the Philippines, Br Reu Galoy, and the Foundation President Br Prabath Krishanta Kumar accompanied the visit.
Catholics currently form 7% of the overall population of Sri Lanka that totals almost 22 million persons, of whom over 70% are Buddhist, around 13% are Hindu, and almost 10% are Muslim.
The history of Christian evangelisation started with Franciscan Missions in the 16th Century. The current Foundation is only 28 years old and was begun by the Philippines Province of San Pedro Bautista.
This visit by Br Massimo was the first visit in the history of the Foundation by a Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor. The visit was also the occasion of the blessing of the new Initial Formation Friary buildings of Rivo Torto and the Cenacolo in Ampitiya (Kandy) on 12 April, that coincided with the start of the 2-day celebration of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in Sri Lanka.
Currently the Foundation has 6 Solemn Professed brothers in Sri Lanka and 2 Sri Lankan brothers of the Foundation are in the Philippines. There are also 7 young candidates in a pre-postulancy accompaniment program in the capital city of Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, next to Colombo. The visitators had fruitful meetings with all the brothers and candidates in Sri Lanka and visited the Friary buildings in Kotte, Kandy, Haputale and Beragala.
Brothers Massimo, John and Reu also engaged in a meaningful dialogue session with members of the Franciscan family in Colombo, comprising representatives of the OFM Conventual, OFM Capuchin; visited the Colettine Poor Clare sisters in Thewatta and Bandarawela; celebrated the Tamil New Year morning mass with parishioners at the franciscan-run St Paul the Hermit parish in Haputale; and visited the "Adisham" Benedictine monastery as well as tea pluckers and students in Beragala on the occasion on the New Year.
The brothers of the Foundation look forward to their upcoming Foundation Chapter this coming May, when they will have their new leadership appointed and where they will discuss their vision and plans for their fraternal life, formation, ministry and mission in Sri Lanka over the coming three years.
Br John Wong
Definitor General for Asia-Oceania and Delegate General for Sri Lanka
In the pictures:
10/4 Visit with Foundation President Br Prabath to Poor Clare Monastery at Thewatta
11/4 Meeting with the Franciscan Family in Colombo
11/4 Visit to the memorial to the victims of the Easter bombings of 2021 at the Shrine of St Anthony in Colombo
12/4 Meeting with friars of the Sri Lanka Foundation in Kandy
13/4 Blessing of the new Franciscan Formation House in Kandy
13/4 Visit to Poor Clare sisters at Bandarawela
14/4 Sri Lanka New Year Mass at Haputale and greetings tea plantation workers and students at Beragala
14/4 Visit to "Adisham" Benedictine Monastery in Haputale with Fr Anselm Fonseka OSB, General Councillor of Sylvestrine Benedictines
