Catholics pray for Sri Lankan cricket heroes, condemn terrorism

(March 5, 2009) Sri Lankan Catholics prayed for their cricket heroes injured in an attack in Pakistan and condemned Sri Lankan and Pakistani terrorism. The Sri Lankan cricket team was on its way to play the second day of a match in Lahore, Pakistan, March 3 when it was ambushed. At least seven players were wounded in the shootout and six police officers and two civilians were killed. Three of the injured cricketers were Catholics, reported the Asian church news agency UCA News. It reported that one of the injured was Ajantha Mendis, 23, a rising star on the world cricket scene, a second lieutenant in the Sri Lankan army and a Catholic. In Mendis' hometown of Kalutara, less than 15 miles south of the capital Colombo, people were in shock. "Thank God they are now safe and secure. We all prayed for them,” they said. Peter Jacob, executive secretary of the Church's National Commission for Justice and Peace, who is based in Lahore, condemned the attack. "The commission expresses sympathy and embarrassment at the incident," he said.