Stop extravagant Christmas celebrations this year - Cardinal

Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith today called on Catholics to celebrate Christmas on a low key this year and avoid spending lavishly on decorations.  

Speaking during a religious service held to mark the 75th jubilee of St. Theresa’s Church, Batapattala, Negombo, Cardinal Ranjith said Christmas this year should be confined to feeding the hungry.

“One must not waste funds on decorating churches and other places this Christmas considering the situation of the country. There are many who live in hunger. Therefore the only thing that should be done during Christmas this year is to provide a meal to the poor,” he said.

He also said one cannot expect justice for Easter Sunday victims from the incumbent President and the government.

“The incumbent President does not have the consent of the people to hold the post he is holding now, since he came from the back door. Parliament select committee appointed to look into the Easter Sunday attacks, said there could be a political hand behind the attack. The incumbent President had pledged to bring in Scotland Yard to carry out an investigation. However, nothing has been done as yet. Besides, I am criticized for talking about politics. I am doing so in line with the statement made by the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka some years ago, and the recent statement made by Pope Francis that the Church cannot afford be silent where there is social injustice,” he added.(Yohan Perera)