Sri Lankan cardinal visits Mother Teresa orphanage, delivers Christmas message

(December 26, 2011) Sri Lankan Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith on Sunday visited an orphanage run by he nuns of Mother Teresa of Kolkata, whose Indian head was recently arrested for selling babies for adoption. Cardinal Ranjith, archbishop of Colombo and Indian High Commissioner Ashok Kantha visited the "Prem Nivasa" centre at Moratuwa, near Colombo, which provides shelter for women who become pregnant outside marriage or after being raped, and gives the babies up through legal adoption if their mothers don't want them. The head of the centre, Sr. Mary Eliza of India was arrested on Nov. 25^th for selling babies illegally, but was released on bail three days later. A Colombo court on Dec. 15 cleared Indian nun declaring there were no illegal activities taking place at Prem Nivasa. On Christmas day Cardinal Ranjith and Ashok Kantha met the children and nuns in the centre also attended a concert presented by the children.
Earlier, in a message for Christmas, Cardinal Ranjith urged all to engage in “the much needed and the challenging task of healing the wounds” following the end in 2009of the country’s protracted civil war between Tamil rebels and the government. He called for overcoming the prejudices which distance people from one another, saying “reconciliation is the great need of the hour.” The prelate urged all to double efforts and recommit themselves to become instruments of the Incarnate Son and agents of peace-building and reconciliation. He also urged all to meet the Lord among the suffering masses of society, among the poor and the afflicted, bringing them comfort and solace.