Fr. Gihan Senadeera tells of the missionary commitment of the Church in Padaviya.
The parish of Padaviya dedicated to Our Lady Of Perpetual Help is belong to the diocese of Anuradhapura, the most under Privilege diocese in the county, situated at the north central province in the historical ancient Kingdom of Sri Lanka. Padaviya is considered as the most difficult and the rural parish in the diocese of Anuradhapura covering a large area of around 200 square kilometers catering also to the Sinhala speaking community at the borders of three large Tamil speaking dioceses of Jaffna, Mannar and Trincomalee. There are around 100 catholic families scattered in the vast area of the parish among more than 15000 families of Buddhist majority, struggling their best to protect the catholic faith.
There is one substation for the parish at Kawantissapura dedicated to our founder St Eugine De Mazenod. Padaviya is a paddy farming area basing from the huge tank call Padaviya Lake. People have to work heard for a good harvest fighting against the climate and the wild¬ beast. Among the Catholics, majority of them are farmers and there are few fishing families as well.
As the parish Priest in this mission field of Padaviya, I have worked for more than three years in collaboration with the Good Shepherd Sisters. In spite of difficulties (especially financial) we have struggled to be faithful to God who has called us to leave comfort zones to care for the less privileged people who are struggling in the periphery to safeguard their dignity and self-esteem.
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