Day of prayer in Sri Lanka for the nuns of Mother Teresa
(December 12, 2011) In Sri Lanka, the Catholic Archdiocese of Colombo will observe
a day of prayer on Tuesday for the safety and security of the Missionaries of Charity
of Mother Teresa of Kolkata and the Prem Nivasa orphanage they serve at Moratuwa,
near Colombo, that also provides shelter for abandoned single pregnant women. This
was requested by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo. On 28 November,
the authorities raided the centre and arrested Sister Mary Eliza of India, the mother
superior, accusing her of "selling children." The government of Sri Lanka made an
apology to the Missionaries on Thursday, calling the issue "very serious and delicate"
and adding that "if errors were committed, the government will take steps to correct
them." The shift in the government’s attitude seems to be in response to Cardinal
Ranjith’s declaration to the press on Dec. 3 that the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka
would boycott all government functions over Christmas in protest against the unjust
arrest of Sr. Eliza. The nun was released on bail on Nov. 28. Her court hearing
has been scheduled for Thursday, December 15. According to Fr. Benedict Joseph, spokesman
for the Colombo Archdiocese, the case is likely to be resolved soon. Sr. Eliza is
the first Missionary of Charity to be arrested in the history of the congregation.