Greetings in the Lord!

May we very humbly and joyfully thank and be grateful and faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ for sharing His outpouring love with us, specially at the Feasts of Corpus Christi and Sacred Heart. 

We have focused ourselves on the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus which really sanctifies us. As our Diocese is consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let us pay due attention to promote this devotion in the Diocese, and de facto consecrate each and every Catholic family of our Diocese to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In addition to the devotions we have in our parishes and institutions, may I strongly encourage you to conduct Holy Hours cum Adoration with the Blessed Sacrament exposed with your faithful.

Our deepest sympathies to Rev. Sr. Pradeepika Perera, the Deputy Principal of Sacred Heart Convent, Galle and the members of her family at the death of their beloved father Mr. L.P.P. Perera. We pray that the Merciful Lord may grant him eternal rest.  May he Rest in Peace.

ROSARY RELAY (Saturday19th June) We were very much privileged and blessed to see the National Shrine of Our Lady of Matara chosen for this celebration to mark the end of the Year of Priests.  On behalf of the Diocese, we sincerely thank Archbishop Donal Neary of Ireland for the initiative taken to implement this worthy event. Let me thank Rev. Fr. Charles Hewawasam, Rev. Fathers, Rev. Sisters and the Parishioners of Matara for organizing this event with the help of others.  I also thank all the Rev. Fathers, Rev. Sisters and the lay faithful from other Parishes, who were present as a sign of their solidarity in the Diocese.

May I thank Rev. Fr. Boniface Perera, Rev. Fr. Bernard Wijerathne and other Rev. Fathers, Rev. Sisters and the Parishioners of St. Mary's Cathedral, Galle for celebrating the Feast of Corpus Christi Solemnly and Reverentially on Sunday the 20th June.

We are happy to have Rev. Fr. Lalith Fernando back in the Diocese after completing a special course on Communication at EAPI in the Philippines.

The Annual Prize Giving of St. Mary's Convent School, Matara was held on Wednesday the 23rd in the School Auditorium. His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Archbishop Joseph Spiteri the Apostolic Nuncio to Sri Lanka was the Chief Guest. We were very much honoured with his presence.  Let me very sincerely thank His Excellency for having come to grace this event and for his words of wisdom in his speech at the Prize Giving.  A special word of thanks to Rev. Sr. Sandamalie Kurera the Principal, the staff and all those who have been responsible for the success of this annual event.  Congratulations! Let me also congratulate all the prize winners and wish them good luck in their future endeavours.

The Church celebrates the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle on Saturday the 03rd. Let us pray to St. Thomas to strengthen our faith so that we will not have any doubts about the teachings of the Majesterium.

 N.B.:- Our Annual Retreat will be from Monday the 05th July to 10th July at Bulutota Retreat House.  Our Preacher will be Most Rev. Dr. Vianney Fernando, the Bishop of Kandy.  This is a very important spiritual event in our annual programme and of course in our own priestly lives.  As the Retreat is scheduled to begin at 09.00 a.m. on Monday 05th July,  you are kindly requested to come to Bulutota on Sunday the 04th for dinner ( before 07.00 p.m. May I kindly ask you to request prayers from the religious communities and the faithful in your parish, in order that all the Fathers might experience during this Retreat a renewed spiritual journey.

Sunday the 25th July: Pontifical Mission Society of St. Peter the Apostle. This is Indigenous Clergy Sunday. The theme chosen for this year is "Let us share the Good News and dispel the darkness".

The Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle, founded in 1843 by Jeanne Bigard, provides for the education of native clergy, support of canonical - year novices, post-graduate study for native diocesan clergy and native religious women.  May we pray for those who are generous to the mission and for those who will receive the benefits of their generosity. Let us educate our faithful to pray and to be a little more generous over their contributions towards this gracious act and send your collections to the Director.

On-going Formation programme for priests between 10 years and 05 years of Priesthood:- (Ordained 1999 to 2006) It will be conducted from Monday the 26th to Friday the 30th at the National Seminary, Ampitiya, as a special event in the Programme for the Year of priests. Our Priests that come under this category have already been informed personally. I kindly request all of them to make use of the full session.

The Feast of St. Anne falls on 26th of July. Due to pastoral reasons Hiniduma Shrine dedicated to St. Anne celebrates the annual Church Feast on 07th & 08th of August.

The Jesuit Community in Galle celebrates the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola on Saturday the 31st July. While appreciating their pioneering missionary work in our Diocese, let us extend our prayerful wishes for them to continue their present mission for the Greater Glory of God. A.M.D.G.

We take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to Rev. Fr. Dixon Fernando SDB and Rev. Fr. Melinda Wickramasinghe SDB for their dedicated services rendered to the Diocese of Galle. May the good Lord grant strength and guidance to Rev. Fr. Dixon Fernando as he is going to shoulder a grater responsibility as the director of Don Bosco Technical Center in Negombo. We warmly welcome Rev. Fr. Anthony Ranjith SDB the new Director of Don Bosco Technical Center at Ahungalla, to the Diocese of Galle. We look forward to continue together the missionary work patronized by the Don Bosco Fathers in the Southern Province.

His Eminence Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, will celebrate the Golden Jubilee of his Priestly Ordination on the 01st of July 2010. A special thanks-giving Eucharistic celebration will be held at the Basilica of St. Peter on the 06th of July. We shall pray for his good health to continue the unique task entrusted to him as the Secretary of State.

Let us continue to pray for us to have a Spiritual Leader soon.

May God Bless you and your ministry.

Yours devotedly in the Lord,

Fr. Nihal Nanayakkara
Diocesan Administrator.