2ND LEAD

5-Day Bishops' Conference to discuss peace in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 September 2008, 11:46 GMT]
The Bishops' Conference of Catholic Church of Sri Lanka is expected to discuss the volatile situation prevailing in the north, east and other parts of the country and to explore ways in which the Church could contribute to peaceful resolution when it commences its five-day sitting on September 18. Bishops of seventeen dioceses in the island including Jaffna, Mannaar, Trincomalee and Batticaloa are also to attend the conference.

Rt.Rev. Dr.Thomas Saundaranayagam, Bishop of Jaffna Diocese is already in Colombo.

Bishops of other Dioceses are expected to arrive in Colombo during the weekend to hold preliminary talks, sources in Colombo said.

Bishops Kingsley Swampillai of Trincomalee-Batticaloa, Rayappu Joseph of Mannaar and Thomas Saundaranayagam of Jaffna are expected to submit reports about the ground situation prevailing in their dioceses and the suffering of the people due to displacement and other calamities.

Bishop Oswald Gomes is to chair the conference. Vicar Generals and Secretaries of Bishops would also attend the conference.