Colombo (AsiaNews) – The Conference of Major Religious Superiors (CMRS) celebrated on 4 June its 50th anniversary with a thanksgiving Mass attended by more than 200 priests, nuns and friars at the De la Salle Brothers Provincialate Chapel in Colombo. “Continuing to be the leaven towards transformation” was the theme of the event. AsiaNews interviewed CMRS President Fr Rohan Dominic and its Executive Secretary, Sr Bernadette Fernando for the occasion.Archbishop and Apostolic Nuncio Joseph Spiteri led the serivce together with Mgr Cletus Chandrasiri Perera of the diocese of Rathnapura and CMRS President Fr Rohan Dominic.
In his address, Fr Rohan said, “In our journey of 50 years, we have had moments of joy as well as moments of difficulties. Like the nation, we have been in various socio-political, economic and religious situations. In each, those who came before us responded according to the signs of the time, and gave prophetic, enigmatic, exceptional and unparalleled leadership. They moulded the CMRS as a collective force. When we celebrate their 50 years of service to the Church and the nation, we salute them for the great example they have been to us.”
The CMRS “is a collective force working for the reconciliation and the [social and spiritual] improvement of the people of Sri Lanka,” Fr Rohan told AsiaNews. “We are many religious congregations that work as one. We want to be a tool of peace and reconciliation, and use all of our resources to improve people’s lives and encourage interpersonal reconciliation, irrespective of ethnic, caste and religious background. We have always been on the forefront, during disasters caused by nature or man.”
The CMRS was in fact very active during the country’s long civil war. Two years since it ended, the CMRS remains involved in helping war victims. About 160 nuns are still working in refugee camps, hospitals, orphanages, homes for the elderly and the disabled in cooperation with Caritas Sri Lanka, the Jesuit Relief Services and the Centre for Society and Religion
At present, many priests and nuns are working in the country’s north in implementing resettlement programmes.
Special care has been devoted to inter-ethnic reconciliation. Through the promotion of truth and justice, the goal is to heal the wounds caused by the war.
The CMRS includes 53 congregations: 27 apostolic women’s congregations, 6 contemplative women’s congregations, 16 clerical congregations and non-clerical (brothers) congregations for a total of 3,385 men and women religious.
Sister Bernadette Fernando explained that the CMRS coordinates the various congregations to facilitate the overall mission of the Church in total unity with the bishops. Two CMRS members sit on the National Commission of the Catholic Church of Sri Lanka.
The Conference was created 50 years ago on the initiative of Card Thomas Cooray, archbishop of Colombo, Mgr D.M. Laudadio, bishop of Galle, and Mgr Leo Nanayakkara, bishop of Kandy.
Rev J.R. Knox, then apostolic delegate to Ceylon (Sri Lanka’s old name) chaired the meeting and acknowledged the desire to create a single conference for all religious.
On 16 December 1960, the Sacred Congregation of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life approved the application to create the CMRS.
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