St. John Bosco Chapel dedication mass and opening 10-28-2012

Today, is a great day to celebrate in many  ways as for me and for the whole catholic and all here at Wright State community. For me, it is because we are getting a new chapel for worship and fellowship and also a B'Day celebration. When I first came to USA I was searching for a place to go for Sunday masses. With my greatest efforts I found this catholic community at the campus premises which helped me to go for masses because at that time I didn't have a car and had no way to go to St. Luke's church every Sunday for mass. Because of the way I grew up, it is one of my basic needs (not only wants) to go for Sunday masses. So today, we started dedication mass near our old chapel which brought me many memories and good friends (as I always had from my undergrads at my country). It proved me that when you meet God's people you always meet great people. It was the place we had exam crams, dinners, games, masses, etc, etc... It is not because of the building we came there but because we experienced good spirit in the middle of God. So when I looked at my right, I saw the new chapel, God's gift for us and for all of us in the campus to build the good spirit and live according to his love for us.

Before the dedication mass began, I overheard few ladies talking about how this building was a dream for many years. The spoke like how they thought it will never come true and will always be a dream as many people could not find enough funds to build it. But it was under many years or prayers and prayers and prayers. I think that is what paid off and God has his own plans and we have to believe in him. And this reminds me (strongly) to believe in him and pray for him as it is granted for a good cause. We may have thought that it is not possible after so many years as I heard that the old chapel was a temporary building for few years even though it stood for 40 years. If God wanted his people to gather in a temporary building for such a long time making that temporary building stronger than it looks, we have to believe in him that he has a plan. So here is his plan gifted to us today and we accepted with great pleasure.


It also pointed out by the Arch Bishop Most Rev. Dennis quoting that "talent is cheap but dedication is expensive". This building is an example of many people's dedication over many years and today we have this great looking building to praise God every day and experience him in a beautiful atmosphere. The chapel looks like God's dwelling place now with inspiring looks and we will make use of it to bring our good hearts to fill with God's love and guidance. Thank you Lord for giving us this beautiful gift and day to celebrate.

New Chapel at Wright State and good feelings...

We have been waiting so long to make this a reality and many have worked hard to find a way to build the building. Sometimes I feel I liked the old building because that is where I used to meet all the people but now looking at the state of the old building, it is a timely gift from God.

Throughout last few weeks, people were moving stuff into the new building and I get some time to go and help this Wednesday for a short period of time. The new church is well lit and full of people practicing hymns for the dedication mass, playing music, friends carrying things here and there and I felt like Christmas season already. It was a wonderful feeling and I felt good enjoying the atmosphere. Everybody was exited about the new building and for the first mass on this Sunday at 2 pm. It will be a big event for all of us and good times to come. Finally, we got a new building to meet Jesus and have peace of mind and enjoy his presence in a proper sacred place. I am awaiting for the time to come...

B'Day

Today is my 28th B'Day. It has been quite a long time to walk in life and there were many ups and downs as I recall what has happened. There were many achievements and some drawbacks. What I can think of happy memories are the times I had with many wonderful people in school, campus, church, etc. One fact is for sure that I do not have or at least I don't feel comfortable with people who are not my type. I mean I can say crazy. But it is according to my definition and for some I may be crazy as well.

It has been now 2 years since I started living in a different country and it is amazing how I kept myself going and had something to cheer about time to time. Most of it had to do with Church as usual in my undergraduate life. The time I spend there with friends and all the activities are always different and gives me hope to chill out my life or to relax a bit. I know for many this kind of experience is not possible and because of that I am grateful to God for giving all these good things in my life to have a happy life.

Today is my B'Day but I do not have a cake today. But it is okay, I will be having a small get-together with my friends here around. For the past few years I was always able to put up a small party for my B'Day whether I had money or not. I think before the B'Day that I will not be going to have a party this year but I always end up having at least a small treat and evening full of talks. One tradition that happened for the past 2 years is that Hasitha never missed the date to pay a visit here and have some fun time. Since I do not have the comfortable background environment I had when I was in Sri Lanka, the only time/place I feel home is when some good old friends get together. It is so nice that we had such a wonderful time spent together when we were in undergrad and bonds we started at that time pay off.

I received so many B'Day wishes today and that in fact made my day even happier for me. It is a great feeling that when I see people make wishes for my B'Day and seeing them bring life long memories sometimes.Seeing those wishes remind me different kinds of friends I had from time to time and it is like a tele-drama when all those people and their connections makes some beautiful drawings of memories.

After all I am 28 now. Getting older. But I still feel I am much younger and want to have many better days ahead of me like all the fantastic memories I have. That is a B'Day wish and may the almighty Lord guide me and bless me for my journey of life.

Easter 2012

Easter 2012..... hm.... Final days of Easter 2012 is already here. I can't believe that 40 days went so fast and I did not have enough time spent this year's Easter time for spiritual reflections as I think. But at least I am trying to spend some time before it is over.

Today, Holy Thursday, the mass was nice and I was able to participate in the mass among some friends compared to last time where I barely had any friends I knew at that time from the community. I wasn't able to spend some quiet time with Jesus. Sometimes you have a friend close to you for sometime and then you forget or couldn't make any close connections due to many reasons and suddenly after some time you feel uncomfortable with the relationship you had. So I am beginning to feel the same with the relationship with God. It is a great feeling when I feel Jesus is with me no matter what happens to walk with me. I know he is always there for me but I need to believe in that and talk to him.


Two days ago, Fr. Ed in the harmony mentioned that many think Judas is for sure in hell because of what he did. But is it almost the same what Peter did also? Hadn't Peter confessed in public that he did not know Jesus? Humans are always week and fail to do what they intend to do. So that is why Jesus gave us a way of resolving and making the relationship new with holy sacrament of confession. It is very hard to confess because you do not want to accept your failures and what wrong you did knowingly. But reconciliation with God always get you closer to God and ease the pressure of sin.

At least all of these thoughts, I should spend some good time with God in this Easter so that I may be able to improve my habits, life style and virtues in a way that is pleasing to God!

a new year to begin with

After some time I have few minutes to write about recent past in my blog. In fact, it was a fascinating vacation I had last December. Visisted my Sister in Dubai on my way home after almost 2 years. Then it was a pretty busy vacation for me. Sudu Akki (Ninoshi - my cousin sister) got married and the days were filled with work and happiness and also Christmas spirit. The only thing I missed or delayed is the work I had to do during the long vacation but it was a vacation I had to take after a long time. In fact taking your time off for some time gives you some in sight of what you have to do and think leisurely about what has to be done in all aspects in my life. So I figured out that I need to work abit harder than now.

And also there happened many miracles in Sri Lanka while I was there. Yes, miracles do happen and the faith on God finally or all the time pays off. We never know how his plans work and what will happen to us. But eventually good will happen as you believe in God. :)

Christmas Dream 2011!

There is nothing valuable and precious than having the internal happiness in your life. No money can buy that for you and no one can achieve that for you and for my belief its a gift from God and everyday I believe and expect that one day I will also be able to live my life happily ever after with the grace of God. On this Christmas day that is one of the wishes have in my mind that I ask from the baby Jesus. When I look back and think of my life it is full of mysteries and miracles and also obstacles. Sometimes I felt the pain but later it was for the long lasting good. Therefore it is important for me to keep my faith on my friend Jesus.

Now I'm dreaming. A dream that I may live one day in future. I always have this dream and I write about it every year so that it is my most precious dream I want to live one day.

I will be decorating the Christmas tree just after the Thanksgiving day. I will be making the tree, putting on lights and ornaments. I won't be alone. There will be kids and the lady I love forever. She is watching us decorating the tree by a side and giving us ideas to make it look more nicer. I know, a woman's hand makes everything look nicer than a man's. It is the "magical touch". Hmm... :) kids of course make any family a better place filled with joy and happiness. They are running around the tree and everywhere making noise. A Christmas carol can be heard from the background.


On the Christmas eve, we will be busy with many schedules. Re-arranging some decorations, making cakes, enjoying the lights and decorations. She will be making delicious food and of course I will be helping. Kids are watching cartoons and enjoying the season's greetings and the feeling of Christmas. The smell of Christmas. Lights from the crib will light the entire room and our hearts too. I can see the baby Jesus smiling there and that smile multiplies our happiness in thousands folds and our unity and good will.

When the Christmas eve is dawned, I see how we live our lives. I am sleeping close to my lovely lady and I can't express the joy we have. I hold her tight and she likes it. We talk about how we are going to spend the Christmas eve and Christmas day and holidays. That includes whether we play outside with snow or not :) . If she falls asleep before me, I will watch her sleep and think how good the life is..... . I will make plans on what to do and share with them on the following morning..... :) I will do everything to make our family live happier than anybody and also ensure that we also experience the most important of all things first and that is the love of God. I will bring the Christmas joy and happiness to our and teach our kids the good values and who the Jesus is. We will pray every possible night together at least 5 minutes. I know every happiness begins from Him. From Jesus. So we should make him our best friend.

Snow will fall and we all will have a white Christmas. Snow flakes will bring us joy and happiness. A dream that I want to come true in future. A life that I can adore and convey the love of God to others and be an example. To make the kingdom of God among us and feel him with us. I am sure I will live this dream one day soon. I am pretty sure. I believe in the new born king and our baby Jesus and it will be the heaven on earth......

Is Sri Lanka really a third (class) world country (not even second class)!?!

In the past few days there was a real scandal about one of the Mother Teresa's homes in Sri Lanka. There were many interpretations for the incident on how it happened and who forced the police to take action first. It may be the political influence in the highest or somebody else and I am not sure about this but I am sure on one thing. That is all this incident is a haux. As we may remember and seen in movies that Mother Teresa when she was alive faced more intense incidents than this when she began her service. It was much worse because she started to serve non-Catholics where those people thought she was going to convert them into Catholicism in return for her service for the poor. But that was not her intention.

Anyways, this incident of arrest of nuns for false accusation of baby trafficking had happened for no reason according to my knowledge and belief. I personally believe that those nuns would do no such thing on this earth. I am 100% about that. We should not be disturbed by this false accusations because these things are to be happened (when you do good for the God as written in the Holy Gospel). We should be surprised if these things do not happen. When I think of these services done by Catholic priests and nuns, I can not even think of doing anything like these. Dedicating your whole life for others would be a nightmare for me. May be it is not my call to serve the God. So at least we should appreciate what they do rather than accusing them with false evidence.

I accidentally read some internet news sources and blogs about this incident and how people comment on this. Most of them are negative ones and insulting Catholicism and false accusation of forcing Sri Lankan court system for its decision on this. But I do not think any forcing had happened and what happened is the truth came out and the justice had been served. All these negative comments reflect the hatred that Buddhist people have on Catholics. It forced me to think that we as Catholics have never accused any Buddhist for any wrong doing and we patiently awaited the justice all the times. One thing we believe as the whole Catholic Church is that we have no right to judge anyone. And we never fail to give credit where it should go. But all/most Buddhists on this incident blamed us for no reason and for some reason they are expressing how much they hate us. May be they hate us because we serve the needy without considering in what religion they belong to. We as Catholics (may be most of the time priests and nuns) try to help others as much as we could as Jesus Christ advised so which in return is doing for him.

And I also want to address the issue of the Buddhists saying that we Catholics are those who changed our religion for the money and well being when Portuguese invaded our country in 1500s. But do not forget this, some may have done so and other might have had a true conversion with the almighty God's grace. And the most important of all is that when Dutch and English invaded us next, there was no good time for Catholics. You must know that Dutch and English hate Catholics and they murdered Catholics if they kept to their religion. So I must say Catholics are the bravest and most humble people among all religions in Sri Lanka over Buddhists as well. I do not like to say this but have to because all you Buddhists have the wrong impression about us. If you want more details on this and how Catholics kept their faith when they were being persecuted you should read and know our "HISTORY" first. So please be aware of that and do your home work. But I do not think many Buddhists sacrificed their life for their religion as we did. Sacrificing our lives for our belief happens nowadays as well. You may be aware of that what is happening on Nigeria. Many Catholics are being persecuted and burned alive by Muslims. But we believe in our God to our death. That is something we experienced and not for any personal well being like money (you should distinguish Catholics from other Christians who give money to the poor to change their religion carefully). I urge all Sri Lankans that know your history and background and do not insult other religions. Know before you comment. If you do not know then please do not express your foolishness. Please do not make Sri Lanka a third class country where other people can't live. We should respect all religions and all kinds of people. God Bless You.