“A gift from God for our diocese,” is how a group of elderly faithful from Chilaw, in the Puttalam district (Northwestern Province), described the appointment of Bishop Wimal Siri Jayasuriya by Pope Francis on December 6, and his subsequent consecration that weekend for a community celebration.
“We pray to God,” they shared with AsiaNews, “to guide the new bishop with intellect and the necessary blessings to serve the diocese by leading the community in the right direction. We also thank the predecessor, Bishop Valence Mendis, now prelate of Kandy, for his service.”
The episcopal ordination of Bishop Jayasuriya took place at the Santa Maria Cathedral in Chilaw, on March 2nd at 9 am, witnessed by the apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Brian Udaigwe.
The ceremony was attended by all the bishops of Sri Lanka’s episcopal conference, including the Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, numerous priests, the Anglican Bishop of Colombo, the Anglican Emeritus of Kurunegala, and some Buddhist monks who came to congratulate the new pastor and fourth diocesan bishop.
The night before the ordination mass, Bishop Jayasuriya was greeted by a group of priests and his predecessor, Bishop Mendis, at the diocese’s border, near the Thoppuwa crossroads. Numerous faithful, the entire diocesan clergy and non-Catholic personalities also welcomed him, accompanying him to the Santa Maria Cathedral in Chilaw, marking the culmination of this symbolic yet participatory pilgrimage.
The diocese had been without a pastor for over two years. On December 6, the Vatican announced Pope Francis’s appointment of the new bishop, who, upon receiving the news from the nuncio, requested a few days for prayer and meditation before accepting this “great responsibility.”
Bishop Jayasuriya, from the clergy of Chilaw, has served as parish priest at Saint Mary Mother of God and as a judge in the diocesan court of Fort Wayne-South Bend, USA.
Born on January 23, 1969, in Negombo, in the Archdiocese of Colombo, he completed his early education at the minor seminary in Chilaw and furthered his studies in philosophy and theology at the Our Lady of Lanka National Major Seminary in Kandy, being ordained a priest on August 9, 1997, for the clergy of Chilaw.
His career includes roles as parochial vicar of St. Sebastian, Katuneriya (1997-1998), St. Anne’s sanctuary in Talawila (1998-1999), and St. Joseph, Wennappuwa (1999-2000); earning a license and doctorate in Canon Law at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome (2000-2005); serving as judicial vicar of Chilaw (2006-2012); teaching at Our Lady of Lanka National Major Seminary, Kandy, and being the dean of the Theology department (2013-2019); working as a judge in the diocesan court of Fort Wayne-South Bend, USA, and as parochial vicar of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (2019-2020); and, since 2020, as parish priest of St. Mary Mother of God, also in Fort Wayne-South Bend.
It’s noteworthy that the new prelate pursued his studies not for accolades but for the “pure knowledge” that “can be used to uplift the oppressed.” His lifelong dedication to the Catholic Church is remarkable, often stating, “My duty as a priest is to be ready to sacrifice every second of my life for the people.”
This article was first published by AsiaNews.
