Posted by Project of the Week on 30/5/2012, 1:06 pm
Board Administrator

Rebuilding the church of the Child Jesus in Aalankulam “The Church is the only place where the people can draw hope and consolation,” Bishop Joseph Rayappu of the diocese of Mannar writes to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). And certainly, both these things are most urgently needed. For this diocese in the north of Sri Lanka suffered heavily during the bloody war that raged for 26 years between the separatist Tamil Tigers (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam – LTTE) and the Sri Lankan army. The conflict claimed some 70,000 lives and ended only in May 2009. Countless numbers of people were forced to leave the region altogether when it was devastated by the fighting. Even today there is still so much that remains destroyed, including many churches and other Church properties. One of these churches is to be found in Aalunkulam. It is dedicated to the Child Jesus, who is greatly revered by the Catholic faithful here. The church was devastated by the heavy artillery fire that was brought to bear on it. The people had already fled the town by the time the church was reduced to rubble. But they held fast to their faith, even in exile. They continued to pray the Rosary in their families, to meet for prayer and wherever possible to attend Holy Mass. Finally, in 2010 they were able to return to their home village, and today there are over 1,550 Catholics once again living here. But they were devastated on returning to discover their church in ruins. Thus here too, in Aalunkulam, the Child Jesus, who during his own earthly life found no room in the inn and who was forced to flee to Egypt from Herod's henchmen, has once again shared the fate of so many ordinary people whom hatred and violence have robbed of everything. (Bishop Rayappu Joseph celebrating holy mass in Mannar) But now the people are determined to rebuild their church and rededicate it to the Child Jesus. "They are proud of the presence of the Child Jesus among them. He is their protector", says Bishop Rayappu. But of course they are desperately poor. Many families have lost their breadwinner through the war, and many women have become widows, many children fatherless and many elderly people have lost their sons and are left only with their daughters-in-law and their grandchildren. Their bishop too stands empty handed in the face of the immense devastation in his diocese. ACN has promised the bishop a grant of $18,200. The vital work of Catholic charities like Aid to the Church In Need provide a lifeline to the Church wherever she is poor, persecuted or threatened. Please help our work by donating online or send your donation to Aid to the Church in Need, PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148. Ph: (02) 9679-1929