Behind the Name
Every month, StOM prints the Anglican Calendar of Prayer, but have you
ever thought about what or who lies behind the name and place specified
every Sunday?
In each issue, we will feature some information about some of the
people/places for whom your prayers are being asked.
Rt. Revd. Dhiloraj Ranjit Canagasabey was installed as the 15th Bishop of
Colombo in 2011 and is presently
the presiding Bishop of the Church
of Ceylon (Anglican).
Bishop Dhiloraj is also the current
Chairperson of the National
Christian Council of Sri Lanka which
regroups all the mainline protestant
churches in the country.
He had his secondary education and
formation under the Jesuits of the
Roman Catholic Church at St
Michael’s College, Batticaloa and thereafter obtained his twin tertiary
degrees in Theology and later Divinity from Serampore University, India.
He was also Chaplain to St Thomas’ College, Bandarawela and later served
as the Archdeacon of Nuwara Eliya for 10 years.
He is married to Harshini and has a daughter Dhilukshini, and a son
Dhiranjan.
Through UNICEF, he has been active in promoting the rights of children and
is engaged in opposing the Sri Lankan government’s proposal to resume the
use of capital punishment for those sentenced to death for drug related
crimes and yet continuing to be active in the drug trade while in prison.
Bishop Dhiloraj believes that The Church of Ceylon (Anglican Church)
cannot in any way agree with this move, which he believes has been rushed
into without proper reflection, in the backdrop of criticism and public disquiet
about the spate of gang related murders and shootings in the recent days.
Sri Lanka halted judicial executions more than 40 years ago, Although
several governments in the past have tried to re-impose the death penalty,
wiser counsel has always prevailed.
This does not mean that the Church is unconcerned about the drug menace.
This widespread and very dangerous threat - especially to the young people
of the country and its consequences on wider society- impacts on everyone.
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