The Easter attacks in Sri Lanka killed more than 250 people in several churches. Since then, the Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, has had to face very difficult situations.
CARD. MALCOLM RANJITH
Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka)
“There is also this one gentleman who lost his wife and three children. He was all alone. When I went to see his house, he looked at me with very blank eyes, and told me,‘Now I'm alone. My home, what am I going to do at home?”
Many people on the verge of despair have sought the cardinal for an answer to these incomprehensible circumstances.
CARD. MALCOLM RANJITH
Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka)
“My answer, I always tell him, is 'God loves you.' Maybe your wife and your children, are now in Heaven. So they will intercede for you. They are not gone from you; they are with you. Maybe they are even more with you now than they were before.”
After being confronted with the cruelty of these terrorists, the cardinal is moved by the attitude and response of these victims.
CARD. MALCOLM RANJITH
Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka)
“I find people are becoming more religious and thinking 'Why?’ It seems a positive effect has taken place in the midst of all the crying, all the pain and all the suffering.”
In addition to words of consolation, the cardinal demands justice and forcefulness against those who promote radical Islamism.
In the meantime, he is working to restore normalcy to the communities.
These past days a team from the Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need has also visited the cardinal in Sri Lanka. They want to show their closeness to Christians there during these difficult weeks and assess what more can be done to help the Christian community in the country get back on their feet again.
