Pentecost 2008

Pentecost Night Vigil held at Fatima Church was attended by thousands of Charismatics. some pictures are posted here.

Episcopal Consecration of Bishop Ponniah Joseph

Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, has appointed Rev. Fr. Joseph Ponniah, Vicar General of Trincomalee-Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, as auxiliary of the same diocese (area 8,397, population 1,545,129, Catholics 68,174, priests 66, religious 131). The bishop-elect was born in Thannamunai, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1980. [ Pontifical Acts - 19.02.2008 - VIS]
The Episcopal Ordination of of the Bishop-elect Msgr. Joseph Ponniah will be on 10th May 2008 at St. Mary's Co-Cathedral, Batticaloa by His Lordship Most Rev. Dr. Kinglsey Swampillai, the Bishop of trinco-Batticaloa.
Very Rev. Fr. Ponniah Joseph, born on 12th October 1952, at Thannamunai, Batticaloa, was ordained a priest on 30th April 1980.
Having done his B.Ph at St. Paul's Seminary, Tiruchirapalli in South India, and B.Th in the Papal Seminary, Poona, India, returned to Sri Lanka for the Ordination. Thereafter he did B.A. in the Unversity of Peradeniya, Licentiate in Biblical Theology at Urbania University, Rome, and Ph.D in Christian Civilization at the Unversity of Jaffna.
He served at the Parishes of Batticaloa Cathedral, Vakarai, Veechukalmunai, Aiyithiyamalai, Periya Pullumalai and Thandavanvely. He was appointed as the Rector of St. Joseph's Minor Seminary, Batticaloa and served from 1993 to 1996. In 1996 he appointed as a Lecturer at the National Seminary, Ampitiya, Kandy in 1996 and was involved in the National Seminary formation and lecturing Sacred Scripture, Hinduism, Indian Philosophy and Catechetics, untill 2001.
He was also Resource persopn at the National Institute of Education, Maharagama, lecturing Religion in Tamil language to the teachers.
He was the Editor of the Diocesan Catholic Paper "VETTAPPU" and the Diocesan Bulletin. As a Spiritual Director he assisted the Legion of Mary and Divine Mercy Apostolates.
He was appointed as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Trinco-Batticaloa on 19th February 2006 and beside the commitments in the Diocese, he hab been lecturing at the Eastern University, Vandaramoolai, Batticaloa.