By Herald Malaysia
JAFFNA — The appointment of Bishop Anton Ranjith, pic, as the new Bishop of Jaffna has renewed hopes for justice, reconciliation and stronger pastoral leadership as northern Sri Lanka continues to recover from the wounds of decades of civil war.
The Vatican appointed Bishop Ranjith, formerly Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Colombo and Apostolic Administrator of Batticaloa, following the resignation of Bishop Justin Bernard Gnanapragasam.
Born in Jaffna, Bishop Ranjith returns to his Tamil-speaking homeland after years of ministry across different regions of Sri Lanka. Since his priestly ordination in 2000, he has served in the Archdiocese of Colombo, including in Catholic schools within Sinhala-majority communities, giving him a broad understanding of the country’s cultural and ethnic realities.
The Christian Collective for Justice (CCJ), a network promoting human rights and accountability, welcomed the appointment, saying Bishop Ranjith’s pastoral experience positions him well to promote dialogue, reconciliation and com-munity building.
“At a time when northern Sri Lanka continues its journey of healing and reconciliation, Bishop Ranjith’s appointment brings renewed hope for pastoral leadership, educational development and a strong sense of unity within both the Church and society,” CCJ member Marcus Priyantha Perera said.
He added that the bishop’s experience in the northern, eastern and western regions of Sri Lanka gives him a unique ability to accompany communities still affected by the legacy of conflict.
Bishop Ranjith has served in several Catholic institutions, including St Peter’s College and St Joseph’s College, and was later rector of St Sebastian’s College in Moratuwa and director of the Tamil Theologate. Within the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka, he has also contributed to education, catechetics and youth ministry.
