Sri Lankan Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith ushered in the new year celebrating Mass for the women prisoners and their children in the country’s largest jail. The cardinal who is Archbishop of Colombo, celebrated the Mass in in the women’s ward of the Welikada prison in the suburbs of the capital, organized by the prison chaplain, Fr Julian Patrick Perera, and the Sisters of the Holy Family. The inmates set up the hall for the Mass which was in Sinhalese, Tamil and English. Later, the women prisoners handed Card Ranjith some written requests urging him to intercede with the government on their behalf to speed up trials and help have better contact with their children, so that they may soon return to their families. A woman noted some of them have been there for 10, 15 years, saying the government would also gain saving on their expenses. In his homily, Card Ranjith stressed that despite their imprisonment their life does not end in the prison. He urged them to use their imprisonment as a good opportunity and a challenge in trying to convert their life and follow the right path. He reminded them of their dignity, and their respect should not be destroyed, especially during the current Year of Mercy of the Catholic Church. He urged them to try and live in the Mercy of Jesus. At the end of the Mass, Card. Ranjith handed gifts to the youngest children of the prisoners. (Source: AsiaNews)
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