UCAN Diocesan Profiles Series

Diocesan Officials
A. Ordinary of Ratnapura Diocese
		Bishop Cletus Chandrasiri Perera O.S.B was born on Sept. 6, 1947 in Seeduwa, in the archdiocese of Colombo. His parents are Joseph Eliot Perera and Kovilage Roslyn Silva. He has a brother elder to him and a sister and a brother younger to him. He was ordained a priest on Aug. 4, 1973 and was ordained Bishop of Ratnapura on July 11, 2007 in the Basilica of the 12 Apostles in Rome. He was installed as the third bishop of Ratnapura on July 28 in Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Ratnapura. Bishop Perera studied in Rome 1978-81 and obtained a Licentiate in Sacred Liturgy from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute at the University of St. Anselmo. He also served as the diocesan youth coordinator, the parish priest of St. Anthony's Cathedral, Kandy from 1992 to 1998. In 1984, he was appointed parish priest of Wahacotte in the central diocese of Kandy, where he later served as vicar general for eight years. As a priest, he worked on justice and peace issues and was director of the diocesan pastoral center, and general manager of Catholic private schools. He was the diocesan director of the Legion of Mary as well and was the Conventual Prior of the Order of St. Benedict (OSB) in Sri Lanka from 2002 till he was ordained. He has served Kandy diocese as the general manager of the Catholic private schools from 1992 and was holding this post at the time of his nomination as Bishop of Ratnapura. Bishop Perera is chairman of the Catholic National Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism and the Commission for Missionary Activity of Sri Lankan Bishops' Conference. Address: Catholic Bishop's House, Madola, Avissawella 10700, Sri Lanka Phone: +94 36-2232368, direct: +94 36 - 2232370 Fax: +94 36-2232369
		*Previous Ordinaries* Bishop Harold Anthony Perera (2003 - 2005) Bishop Patabendige Don Albert Malcolm Ranjith (1995-2001)
B. Other Diocesan Officials
		Episcopal Vicar: Father Nicholas Fernando Address: St. Joseph's Church, Balangoda, Sri Lanka Phone: +94 45-2287313
		Assistant Procurator General and Secretary to the bishop: Father Sanjeewa Peiris Address: St. Mary's Church, Kegalle, Sri Lanka Phone: +94 35-2222341
		Procurator General: Father Roland Rodrigo Address: Bishop's House, Madola, Avissawella, Sri Lanka Phone: +94 36- 2232368
		Chancellor: Father Neville Janze Address: St. Anthony's church, Dehiowita, Sri Lanka Phone: +94 36 - 2222517
		College of Councillors: Father Damian Fernando Father Nicholas Fernando Father Roland Rodrigo Father Neville Janze Father Sergius Fernando Father Vincent Rosairo S.J.

Statistics

A. Catholic Population

As of Jan. 1, 2008 Diocese of Ratnapura had 21,855 baptized Catholics, of all 1,787,938 people in the territory. Ratnapura has 22 parishes with 27 resident priests.

People in the Diocese

Baptized Catholics: 21,855 or 1.22%

Members of other Christian denominations (approximate): 8,994

Followers of non-Christian religions or cults (mostly Buddhists): 1,531,794

B. Diocesan and Religious Priests

Diocesan Priests: 25
Religious Priests: 6

C. Religious Brothers , Sisters

Religious Brothers: 6
Religious Sisters: 77

D. Seminaries, Houses of Formation (Click here for details)

Minor seminary: 1
Retreat and Holiday Centers for priests: 2

E. There are 22 parishes in the diocese (Click here for details)

Diocesan Activities and Organizations

A. Major Diocesan Commissions and Organizations

Pastoral Council

Youth Apostolate

Administrative Committee

Deanery Committee

Pastoral Committee

Lay missionaries and Joseph Vaz Activities

Catechetics

Migrant Workers Committee

Interreligious Dialogue Committee

Liturgy and Cultural Affairs

Biblical Apostolate

Pontifical Mission Societies

Family Apostolate

Legion of Mary

Catholic Education Committee

LAKRIVI (Lanka Kriyakari Veerayo, children's movement)

Missionary Childhood

Social Committee

Committee for Finance and Property

The Secretariat Committee

Tribunal

Educational Services Committee

Diocesan Pastoral Care and Mission

Finance and Property

Catholic Education

Social Ministry (Social Development, Family Apostolate)

Pastoral Training Centre

B. Catholic Educational Institutions

Computer Training Centre

Address: Hewadiwela, Sri Lanka

Phone: +94 35 -2266903

C. Catholic Social Welfare

Orphanages and Home for the Elders: 5

St. Anthony's Boy's Home

Address: Hewadiwela, Sri Lanka

Phone: +94 35 -2266903

St. Joseph's Girls' Home

Address: Kegalle, Sri Lanka

Phone: +94 35-3680221 / +94 35-2232857

St. Vincent's Girls Home

Address: Ratnapura, Sri Lanka

Phone: +94 45 -2224938

St. Joseph's Home for the Elders

Address: Kegalle, Sri Lanka

Phone: +94 35- 2222319

St. Joseph's Home for the Elders

Address: Balangoda, Sri Lanka

E. Other Church Organizations and Associations

Pastoral Centre

Caritas - "Sethmini", Justice, Peace and Human Development Center

Joseph Vaz Lay Apostolate Institute

Kolping Center

Religious Congregations, Societies and Institutes

A. Religious Institutes of Men

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B. Religious Institutes of Women (Click here for details)

Sisters of Charity ~ SC

Sisters of Holy Angels

Holy Family Sisters

Good Shepherd Sisters

Perpetual Help Sisters

Franciscan Sisters

Dominican Sisters ~ OP

General Characteristics of the Diocese

The diocesan territory covers a land area of 4,948.2 square kilometers. It includes Ratnapura and Kegalle districts of Sri Lanka.

Economy
Ratnapura is called "City of Gems".The city is located about 100 kilometers south-west of Colombo, it is the centre of a long-established industry of precious stone mining including rubies, sapphires and other gems.

Most of the people depend on the gem trade. Gem pits are a common sight in the area. Most of the large-scale gem businessmen of Sri Lanka operate from Ratnapura. Precious stones, rubies, sapphires and various kinds of gemstones are available here.

Agro based industries like tea rubber coco are here. Large plantations of tea and rubber surround the town. Tea grown in this region is called low-country tea.

Nature
Sinharaja rain forest, Uda Walawe National Park, covers a large area in the region.

Bopath waterfall and Rajana waterfall beautify the area and there are many places of worship in and around this area such as Maha Saman Devala (Buddhist), St.Luke (Church of England), Siva Temple (Hindu) and Jumma Mosque (Islam).

Ratnapura is located in the flooding plain of the river. The town experiences regular floods and in May 2003, it was the largest flood so far, over 130 people died and thousands were displaced.

Population
The population of the diocese is 1,787,938 (the population of the whole country 18,732,000), Most residents are Sinhalese, estimated 1,266,091. 86.42% of them are Buddhists and 9.88% Hindus.

Climate
Ratnapura diocese is located in the south-western part of Sri Lanka, the so-called wet zone.The diocese receives rainfall mainly from south-western monsoons during May to September. The average temperature is 24 degrees Celsius, and there are high humidity levels.

Language
The Sinhala and Tamil languages are in use.

History
The history of Catholics in Ratnapura begins with Portuguese rule in Ratnapura in 17th century and very few catholics. Many of them were the descendents of Portuguese and locals that they married. Blessed Joseph Vaz, the Apostle of Sri Lanka, had visited the place where now Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral is located when he came to Ratnapura as part of his apostolic mission.

The diocese of Ratnapura is dedicated to Sts. Peter and Paul.

Ratnapura diocese is adjacent to Kurunegalla in the north, Badulla in the east, Colombo in the west and Galle in the south.

The birthday of Ratnapura diocese is on Nov. 2, 1995. It was taken out from the territory of Galle diocese. Bishop Patabendige Don Albert Malcolm Ranjith (1995-2001), currently secretary of the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, was the first bishop. He was followed by Bishop Harold Anthony Perera (2003 - 2005). Now Bishop Cletus Chandrasiri Perera O.S.B heads Ratnapura diocese. There are 21,855 baptized Catholics, of all 1,787,938 people in the territory. Ratnapura has 22 parishes with 27 resident priests.

< Last updated on: April 6, 2009 >