On 30th June, 2008, when the country was limping back to normalcy from the disaster caused by the tsunami and at the end of the 30 year old civil war, six courageous Salesian Sisters from Chennai, India, set foot in Sri Lanka on fire with the enthusiasm of the ‘GIVE ME SOULS’.
The Mission of the Salesian Sisters in Sri Lanka began with the ministry in Boscopura, Don Bosco Mawatha, among the apartments built for the tsunami victims, now the sisters have shifted their abode to Auxilium Convent, 522/2, Welihena, Kochchcikade to the newly constructed Formation House on 24th May 2014. This is the first fma formation house where we welcome the children and the young girls who have the desire to follow Christ and thus we have the groups of Apostolic school Children, Contact period candidates, Pre aspirants and aspirants. The rest of the formation is continued in Philippines. We are happy to tell you that we have already one Sri lankan fma and in May 2017 we will have three more Sri lankan FMA’s.
In the same year 2008, the Salesian sisters were also in Nochchiagama of Anuradhapura having boarding for the school going children and the students of the technical institute. Their mission includes ministry in the parish, Montessori School, family visits, and vocation promotion.
In the year 2009 the sisters took up the challenging responsibility of catering to the war affected children sent by the Government, in Vavuniya at Don Bosco Home for Children. Their main concern is the rehabilitation of these children by counseling, education, professional training, job placement, and settlement in life.
In the year 2011 the mission in Jaffna began at the request of Bishop of Jaffna Most Rev. Thomas Soundaranayagam D.D. We run a Montessori School, evening coaching classes, parish ministry, family visits, preparation to receive the sacraments and vocation promotion.
In the year 2014 a Technical College has been started, at Urumpirai in Jaffna district. The college offers short term and long term training in Computer skills, Needle work, Fashion Designing, preparing bakery products and beautician course. The college offers residential facilities for students to undergo the technical training. Residential facilities are also offered for the school going children.
In June 2014 in response to the invitation of the bishop of Batticaloa ,the Salesian had open another new presence at Thirukovil in Ampara District, to take care of the school going children from different villages and offer parish ministry and runs a Montessori.
Thus we render our service in five diocese with five communities and one presence in these nine years of our arrival to Sri Lanka .We are happy to present our journey in nut shell and we assure of our journey in Sri Lanka in the way of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello. As Don Bosco has written “Your rector will have care of you and of your eternal salvation” your visit to us is the clear sign of your great interest in our well being .Do enjoy our short programme prepared with lot of love.
Thankyou.”
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N.B. : Speech of the FMA Superior – Sri Lanka, Sr. Mary Anne, in the common gathering with the Rector Major, in their Mother House at Bolawalana – Negombo, on 12th Nov. 2016.
