Solidarity and prayers for Sri Lanka

The Council General International of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SSVP) expresses its total solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka by vehemently repudiating the terrorist acts that led to the death of hundreds of faithful Catholics who were in the Churches participating in the Easter Sunday celebrations of the Lord’s Resurrection (April 21, 2019).

The SSVP in Sri Lanka has 3,000 members in 366 Conferences. No Vincentian is reported to have been affected. The Council General is in permanent contact with the leaders of the Superior Council of Sri Lanka to support after identifying their needs.

Unfortunately, for security reasons, the institutional visit that brothers Joseph Pandian (Vice-president General International) and Johnson Varghese (International Territorial Vice-president for Asia 1) intended to make in the coming days to Sri Lanka (5 May 2019), is cancelled until a more opportune moment.

In March 2017, brother Renato Lima (16th President General) visited Sri Lanka and confirmed the strength of the Vincentian work there. Let’s pray for Sri Lanka. Let’s pray to God that religious freedom is respected by all, everywhere.