" Service through Unity "  is the mission of the Sri Lanka Catholic Community which comprises of all  the Srilankan  Catholics  irrespective of the Nationality. As at today ( year 2007) the membership is  around 80 families .This figure varies from year to year depending on the  expatriate migration to Bahrain.

 

 

History of the SRI LANKA  CATHOLIC COMMUNITY  in Bahrain

 

On the 28th of April 1984, a group of Sri Lankan Catholics based in Bahrain met at the residence of Mr. Joe Fernando to form the Sri Lanka Catholic Association.

 

The group comprised of Mr. Edward Cooray, Bernie De Silva, Linus Paiva, Patrick Fernando, Francis Benedict, Gnaprakasam, Paterson De Silva and Clarence Silva.

 

The inaugural meeting of the Association was held on 18th May 1984, at the Sacred Heart Church, graced by Rev. Fr. Adrian who blessed the gathering of about 34 men and women who were the first members of the Association, and wished them all success in this pioneering effort. The purpose of this association was to assist the Sri Lankan Catholics based in Bahrain, in their spiritual activities, and render any assistance that they may require in their lives in this foreign land.

 

On the 29th of June 1984 the first Holy Hour was allocated for the Sri Lankan Catholics in the parish. This was attended by large number of worshippers who participated in the prayers very actively.

 

Meetings of the association was conducted every month at the residence of one of the committee members on a regular basis.

 

 

Regular activities of the Sri Lanka Catholic Community in Bahrain.

 

A coordinating Committee for the Sri Lankan Catholic Community is appointed by the Parish Priest in consultation with the Spiritual Director to carry out all Spiritual and social activities of the Sri Lankan Catholics in Bahrain.  This committee is responsible to organize the following activities within the framework of the Sacred Heart Parish.

 

  • Holy Mass in Sinhalese Language :

                                   – Every second Friday of the month at  11.30 am

  • Intercessory Prayers :

                                 – Every Wednesday from 6.30 to 7.30 pm

  • Recitation of the Holy Rosary at the Grotto :

                                  – Every Saturday after 6.30  pm Holy Mass.

  • Lenten activities -     Stations of the Cross  every Friday during Lent at 11:30 am

-        Good Friday Special Service with Stations of the Cross in

                                   Sinhalese at 9:00 am in the Mother Church . 

                                   Half an  hour  adoration at the Alter of Repose on Mondy

                                   Thursday  .

  • Easter Sunday    -      Holy Mass in Sinhalese  at 11.30 am in the Mother Church
  • Christmas Day  -      Mass in Sinhalese – at 11.30 am  in the Mother Church
  • Other Activities  -    Penitential Rite Services for Lent and Christmas in Sinhalese
  • Block Rosary       -  in conjunction with the Legion of Mary – as requested by the 

                                    Sri Lankan Parishioners

  • Annual Visit by a Sri Lankan Priest

-     conduct  Holy mass in every Friday , retreat, seminars and 

                         other services in Sinhalese ( Confession,Councelling, Baptisms)

                           -   Home visists ,Garment Factory  visists and Prison visists 

                            (As per the schedule prepared in consultation with the Parish Priest)

  • Social gatherings, fun activities outdoors for the families

                                  – organized by the committee.

 

 

 

Spiritual Activities:

 

Holy mass in Sinhalese on Second Friday of the month

Seeing the need for services in Sinhalese Language, the assistant priests of the parish took the task of saying the Holy Mass in Sinhalese. Edward Cooray, Rienzie Perera and Emil Fernando were some of our members who had taken great pain and sacrifice to sit with these priests and help them to interpret the Holy Mass in Sinhalese. Rev. Fr. Lester, Rev. Fr. Anthony Mathais, Rev. Fr. Oswin and presently Rev. Raphy Vallachira whose services in this respect is greatly appreciated.

 

The Sinhalese Mass is conducted every second Friday of the month. The first anniversary of celebrating the Mass in Sinhalese was held on 13th September 1996.  This service continues to date.

 

This has been a major spiritual requirement  for some of the  community members who couldn't attend other masses  celebrated  in  English.

 

Annual visit by a Srilankan Priest

Rev. Fr. Anthony Philip Malawiachchi who was the first Sri Lankan Catholic Priest to visit us in this parish, during the months of April/May 1992. A visit by a Sri Lankan Priest became a regular feature in our calendar. We had visits from Rev. Fr. Neil Dias Karunaratne  …..199, Rev. Fr. Nilendra ….. Rev. Fr Anthony Fernando 1997, and Rev. Fr. Rex Pillai  1999 ,2000, 2001 . , and Rev. Fr. Sarath peries ( 2006) .

 

The community look forward to these visits as most of the Sinhalese Catholics were at ease  in participating the Holy Mass, Confession , Councelling  and other religious activities in their mother tongue. The Community is  very thankful to Rev. Fr. Felicio Diniz  and Rev. Fr. Thomas Quodros who had invited these Sri Lankan Priests to the parish to serve the community.

 

During the visits by the Sri Lankan visiting priests, the association has held special mission in Sinhalese and baptism of non catholic Srilankans who have completed the required Catechesim classes. Prison visits and concelebrating Holy Mass at some of the Garment Manufacturing factories for the benefit of the staff who are unable to attend services at the church.

 

Recitation of Holy Rosay at Grotto

The recitation of the Rosary at the grotto every Saturday after Mass was s feature introduced in 1993 and has continued every Saturday, except on the Saturday the draw for the family day raffle is held.

 

 

 

Block Rosary:

The block Rosary with the statue of Our Blessed Mother was started on 19th May 1998 and has continued since.

 

Intercessory prayers:

Intercessory prayers are conducted in every Wednesday at 6:30 to 7:30 pm in the Blessed Sacrement Chapel in Sinhala Language and once in a month in English Language.

 

 

Common Parish  Activities

The Sri Lankan Catholic Community has participated in every event conducted by the parish whether it is religious or social, contributing in every way as one untied family of the Sacred Heart parish.

 

Parish Canteen

Running the Parish Canteen at least once a month according to the roster prepared by the Parish  is one of the social activities. 

 

 Parish Family day

The Sri Lankan food and tea stall at the ‘Family Day’ is patronized by many parishioners to taste the Sri Lankan delicacies served during the day. The ‘hoppers’ and the ‘egg hoppers’ served for dinner has many curious customers who come back for more every family day.

 

 

 

Members who have served in the coordinating committee since 1984..

 

1984

Joe Fernando,

Edward Cooray, 

Bernie De Silva,

Linus Paiva

Patrick Fernando

J. Francis Benedict

Gnanapragasam

Patterson De Silva

Clarence Silva

P. Alexender.

 

1987

Patterson De Silva

T. Gamlath

Clarence Silva

Mahinda De Silva

A.M.Michael

S.M. Christy

P. Alexender

Edward Cooray

Peter Swarnadipathi

 

 

1990

Clarence Silva

Rienzie Perera

Mahinda De Silva

S.M.Christy

Shereen Seethawake

Ranjith Silva

Malini Fernando

Augustine Fonseka

Sydney Fernando

 

 

 

 

1985

Patterson De Silva, 

Edward Cooray

Clarence Silva

T. Gamlath

Joe Fernando

Peter Swarnadipathy, 

Mahinda De Silva

A. M. Michael

Cronenberg.

Patterson De Silva, 

 

1988

Clarence Silva

Edward Cooray

Mahinda De Silva

T. Gamlath

A.M.Michael

Patterson De Silva

P. Alexender,

Jagoda

Gabriel

 

 

1991

Rienzie Perera

Shereen Seethawake

Mahinda De Silva

S. M. Christy

Michael Britto

Sydney Fernando

Cedric Perera

Merril Fernando

N. Mariam Pillai

 

 

 

 

1986

Patterson De Silva

Edward Cooray

T. Gamlath

Joe Fernando

Nihal  Soysa,

A.M. Michael

Peter Swarnadipathy

Clarence Silva

Mahinda de Silva

P. Alexender.

 

1989

Clarence Silva

Rienzie Perera

Mahinda De Silva

Daya Ferando

Tyronne Rubeira

Ranjith De Silva

Sydney Fernando

N. Mariam Pillai

Jude Nimalraj

 

 

1992

Rienzie Perera

Cedric Perera

Shereen Seethawake

Victor Cooray

Michael Britto

M.S.Edmund

Mahinda De Silva

Annesley Abeysinghe

M.L.B. Fernando

 

 

 

 

1993

Rosca Bastiansz

Swarna Dias

Dayanthi Mahawithanage

Eshantha De Silva

Rex Barnes

Tyronne Rubeira

Neville Mendis

Joseph

Thyagarajah

 

 

1996

Rienzie Perera

Derrick Anton

Lloyd Perera

Shamini,

Sudarshini Ranasuriya

Kumari Fernando

Tyronne Rubeira

Roystan Perera

Charmaine W.

Michael Britto

S. Lawrence Pillai

Alex Jayawardene

Rita.

 

1999

Rienzie Perera

Charmane W

Rossanne Ambrose

Shereen Seethawake

Mahinda De Silva

Kumari Fernando

Nilmini Fernando

Deepthi R

Tyronne Rubeira

Priyantha Kahaduwa

Mahendra Ranasuriya

Emil Fernando

 

 

 

 

1994

Rosca Bastiansz

Swarna Dias

Eshantha De Silva

Neville Mendis

Joseph.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1997

Rienzie Perera

Derrick Anton

Lloyd Perera

Sharmane Oliver

Sudarshini R

Kumari Fernando

Roshini,

Tyronne R

Mahesh Nicholas

Mahinda De Silva

Roystan Perera

Charmane W.

 

2000

Charmane Wijeratne

Lloyd Perera

Nilmini Fernando

Shereen Seethawake

Chitalka Ambros

Mahendra R

Kumari Fernando

Shanika Fernanado

Aloy Vanculenberg

Lakshan Perera

Tyronne R.

S.M.Indrani

 

 

 

 

1995

Rienzie Perera

Deltrene Embuldeniya

Charmaine Wijeratne

Tyronne Rubeira

Roystan Perera

Shantini De Silva

Lloyd Perera

Sudarshini Ranasuriya

Lawrence Pillai

Reno Gabriel

Christy Ratnasingham

 

 

1998

Rienzie Perera

Shereen Seethawake

Kumari Fernando

Tyronne R

Rita Seneviratne

Priyantha Kahaduwa

Pradeep

Costa

Mahinda De Silva

Roystan Perera

Mahesh Nicholas

Alex Jayawardene

 

2001

Charmane W

Kumari Fernando

Nilmini  Fernando

Lakshan Perera

Aloy Vanculenberg

Mahendra R

Shereen S

Lloyd Perera

Tyronne R

 

 

 

 

 

Sep 2001 – Sep. 2002

Shereen Seethawake

Aloy Vanculumberb

Nilmini Fernando

Nelu Nicholas

Calista Ariyarathne

Mahendra Ranasoriya

Lloyd Perera

Kumari Fernando

Emil Fernando

Lakshan Perera

Vinona Raj

Doreen Costa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2005

Edward Coorey

Emil Fernando

Mahinda De Silva

Sumedha Goonewardena

Rohan De Liivera

Kumari Fernando

Priyantha Kahaduwa

Doreen Costa

Renuka Perera

Felix Fernando

Dionuk Dammanaarachchi

Stella Belkmen

Dheethika Perera

Angela Silva

Gothami Fernando

Veronica Dammanaarachchi

Mary

Merril Fernando

 

 

 

 

Sep 2002 – Sep. 2003

Shereen Seethawake

Tyronne Rubeira

Mahendra Ranasoriya

Nelu Nicholas

Shamila Balkhuysan

Lloyd Perera

Vinona Raj

Kumari Fernando

Doreen Costa

Harold  Diaz

Upali Fernando

Rohan De Liivera

Jude Fernando

Jude Chaminda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2006 - 2007

Tyronne Rubeira

Charmaine Wijeratne

Emil Fernando

Kumari Fernando

Sumedha Gunewardena

Nilu Nicholas

Chithalka Ambros

Harold  Dias

Vinona Raj

Lakshan Perera

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sep 2003 – Sep. 2004

Tyrone Rubeira

Sharmaine Fernando

Kumari  Fernando

Lloyd Perera

Rohan De Liivera

Nelu Nicholas

Kumari Fernando

Priyantha Kahaduwa

Doreen Costa

Sumedha Goonewardena

Mahinda De Silva

Mahendra Ranasuriya

Stella Belkmen

Rita

Shamila Balkusan

Mary