Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith urged further X-Press Pearl investigations and discussed Catholic school issues during talks with the President.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has urged the government to conduct a more comprehensive investigation into environmental and maritime damage caused by the X-Press Pearl ship fire.
The Archbishop of Colombo raised the issue during a special meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat.
Several matters affecting the Catholic Church and community received attention during the discussions.
Among the key concerns was the need for a formal mechanism to address administrative problems at Catholic schools that have been taken over by the government.
Get
Breaking News
First
on WhatsApp
Follow The Morning Telegraph for instant alerts, top stories and exclusive updates delivered straight to your phone.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith Raises Catholic School Issues
Cardinal Ranjith highlighted difficulties surrounding the appointment of appropriate teaching staff and principals in those schools.
In particular, discussions focused on securing assistance from the Ministry of Education to remove obstacles affecting such appointments.
The talks also addressed the teaching of Catholic doctrine within the schools.
The Archbishop stressed the importance of protecting every student’s right to study his or her own religion without discrimination.
He said government intervention was necessary to address continuing issues surrounding religious education within the country’s education sector.
X-Press Pearl Damage Remains a Key Concern
The Archbishop also called for further formal investigation into the consequences of the X-Press Pearl disaster.
His concerns centred on the damage caused to Sri Lanka’s maritime boundaries and the wider environment following the ship fire.
Meanwhile, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith thanked President Dissanayake for agreeing to establish regular discussions between the government and the Catholic Church.
Under the proposed arrangement, the two sides are expected to hold discussions three times a year to examine existing issues.
The Archbishop expressed confidence that such a mechanism would help establish better coordination between the Catholic Church and the government.
Minister of Science and Technology Krishantha Abeysena attended the meeting.
Presidential Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese Bishop Maxwell Silva were also present.
Several reverend fathers and a group of senior government officials participated in the discussions.
The regular consultation mechanism is expected to provide both sides with an opportunity to raise unresolved concerns and improve coordination on matters affecting the Catholic community.
