The Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, His Eminence Cardinal Mario Grech, arrived in Sri Lanka on July 15, for a pastoral mission aimed at strengthening unity and participation within the local Church.
Upon his arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, he was warmly received by the Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, and the Deputy Head of the Apostolic Nunciature in Sri Lanka, Monsignor Roberto Lucchini, and several clergy members.
During his visit, Cardinal Grech paid homage at St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade, where he offered prayers in memory of those who lost their lives in the Easter Sunday bombings.
On July 18 and 19, he delivered a keynote address at the Pastoral Conference of the Archdiocese of Colombo, held at the Archbishop’s House Auditorium.
As part of his mission, on July 21, Cardinal Grech met with priests serving across Sri Lanka at the National Seminary in Ampitiya, Kandy.
The meeting focused on future directions for the synodal process in Sri Lanka.
The gathering included Church leaders: Monsignor Roberto Lucchini – the Deputy Head of the Apostolic Nunciature in Sri Lanka, Rt. Rev. Dr. Anton Ranjith Pillainayagam Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo, Rt. Rev. Dr. Noel Emmanuel Bishop of Trincomalee, Rt. Rev. Dr. Antony Wyman Croos Bishop of Ratnapura, Rt. Rev. Dr. Raymond Wickramasinghe Bishop of Galle and over 350 priests from various dioceses.
Throughout his pastoral visit, Cardinal Grech engaged in dialogue with priests, religious and lay faithful on issues raised during the synodal process and emphasized the importance of fostering unity and active participation within the Church in Sri Lanka.
