The Archdiocesan website reports (note, they're already calling Archbishop Malcolm "His Eminence"):
His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith presided at the Eucharistic Celebration together with His Excellency Archbishop Joseph Spiteri the Apostolic Nuncio in Sri Lanka, His Grace Archbishop Emertius Nicholas Marcus Fernando, His Grace Archbishop Emeritus Oswald Gomis, Very Rev. Fr. Clement Waidysekara the Oblate Provincial, Very Rev. Fr. Francis Senanayake the Judicial Vicar and several other Fathers. A large crowd of faithful participated in the Memorial Mass.
His Eminence Thomas Benjamin Cardinal Cooray from the Parish of Periyamulla, Negombo, was born on 28th December 1901, was ordained a priest on 23rd June 1929 in the Congregation of Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Thereafter he was appointed as the Co-adjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Colombo on 12th December 1945 and succeeded as the Archbishop of Colombo on 26th July 1947.
He was elevated as a Cardinal on 22nd February 1965 by Pope Paul VI.
His Eminence was called to Eternal Rest in the Lord on 29th October 1988 and his mortal remains were buried in the crypt chapel in the Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka, Tewatta on 03rd November 1988.
New York Times issue on 01st No. 1988, quoted, ''During the years of suppression or limitation of religious freedom, Cardinal Cooray constantly affirmed the spirituality of his own mission and the loyalty of Roman Catholics'' to the Sri Lankan Government, the Vatican said.
Archbishop Emeritus Oswald Gomis said, during his homily:
" In 1960's our schools were taken over by the government, not on a vision of better education but to attack the Catholic Church and to disrupt the religious education. His Eminence deeply disturbed by the "School Takeover Bill" appealed to the government to give at least the primary schools. Government having realized that there were more students in the primary departments rather than middle schools, primary schools were taken over by the government Then the Church in Sri Lanka had find ways and means to educate our children and maintain religious education in the schools." " His Eminence was also concern of the economy of the Archdiocese. He purchased lands for future schools and churches and estates to strengthen the economy of the Archdiocese. He even convinced the Brothers to work in the estates during the holidays to support the Archdiocese. Look at the Basilica Watta, many trees planted here are rare and they were very carefull chosen and planted by His Eminence. Not only he purchased lands for the Archdiocese, but also he was concern about the welfare of the other dioceses as well. Once on his way to Madhu Shrine, he met his friend Fr. Emilianus Pillai OMI, who later became the Bishop of Jaffna looking after Anuradhapura diocese as well. Fr. Emilianus informed Cardinal Cooray about a Catholic Community in Alagollewa and who had no services of a priest. His Eminence not only arranged a priest to lookafter the Catholic Community at Alagollewa, but also personally visited those areas and purchased lands for the present diocese of Anuradhapura."
" Thomas Cardinal Cooray was truly a very committed and dedicated holy priest of God.Holiness of his life spread wherever he went. His unassuming life style, the fraternaly way he spoke to the priests calling them "my sons", his pastoral zeal to visit his people very often in accordance of his episcopal motto - "ministrare non ministrari" - to serve and not to be served and these qualities of his life brought musch desired changes in the transition of the Archdiocese."
Another article on Cardinal Cooray can be found here.
The tomb of Cardinal Cooray at the Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka.
Our family visits this magnificent church every time we go to Sri Lanka on holiday (it's not too far from where my father's parents, and many of our relatives on my father's side live).
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment