880 Sri Lanka Community opened in North, Tamil
austraLasia 880
 
Sri Lanka:  Salesians open community in the North, Tamil-speaking region.
By: Bosco Information Services, India
 
Matunga: Sept 13, '04-- The Salesians entered the Tamil-speaking Northern Region of Sri Lanka for the first time on 9 September 2004, when they took up a hostel for boys and development work in the parish of Murunkan in the diocese of Mannar in Sril Lanka.

Fr. Anthony Humer Pinto, the newly installed superior of the vice province of Sri Lanka, signed a contract for Murunkan with His Lordship Joseph Rayappu, Bishop of Mannar, at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, in the presence of the provincials of Chennai, Trichy and Mumbai, Fr. Thomas Panakezham, former Regional Councillor for Australia-Asia, Fr. Benjamin Puthota, former provincial delegate for Sri Lanka, and several former provincials of Chennai.

Madhu is an ancient Shrine situated in the midst of a forest in what is now an LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) controlled area. To reach the shrine, the Salesians had to undergo passport formalities at the Sri Lankan checkpost and once again at the LTTE checkpost, after passing through no-man’s land. This has been possible for several years now, thanks to the accord reached between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE forces. Many in Sri Lanka attribute the peace accord to the mediation of Our Lady of Madhu.

After the signing of the contract, the Salesians proceeded to Murunkan for the official welcome and reception.

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