CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LANKA
A History in Outline

By

Monsignor W. L. A Don Peter

I N D E X

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

THE PORTUGUESE PERIOD (1505-1658)
Ancient Taprobane
Lanka Prior to the Colonial Period
Advent of the Portuguese
Arrival of the Missionaries
Xavier and the Martyrs of Mannar
Church Makes Slow Progress
A Catholic King on the Sinhalese Throne
A King Without a Kingdom
Kotte Under Portuguese Rule
Attempts to Reduce Jaffna
Jaffna Under Portuguese Rule
Portuguese Relations with Kandy
Kandy Regains Independance
Kandy Prince Priest
Missionary Activity under Portuguese Rule

THE DUTCH PERIOD (1658-1796)
A Flock Without a Shepherd
God Sends a Shepherd
Provision for Others to Follow
Lanka's Sole Pastor
A Providential Imprisonment
Catholic Literature in the National Languages
Asian Missionary Par Excellence
Indigenous Ministers of Salvation
Indigenous Administrators of Local Churches
A Political Missionary Action
Respect for Other Faiths
Continuity of Service of the Indian Missionaries
Catholic Priests Banished from Kandy
The Dutch Relent

THE BRITISH AND INDEPENDENCE PERIODS (1796-1948)
Lanka Becomes a Vicariate Apostolic
European Missionaries Come Again
Two Vicariates for Lanka
Bonjean Champions Denominational Education
Bonjean as Bishop in Jaffna and in Colombo
Further Church Expansion
Padroado-Propaganda Conflict
Training of Native Clergy
Church Progress in Education
Church and Charities
Revival of Buddhism and its Aftermath
State Takeover of Schools
Devotion to the Blessed Virgin

CONCLUSION

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Of Printed Works in English

THE AUTHOR
Educationist, historian, Oriental scholar and missiologist, Dr. W. L. A Don Peter holds double Bachelor's, Master's and Doctor's degrees: B.A. Hons (Lond.) and B. Mis. (Rome); M.A. and M. Phil (Lond); Ph. D. (Lond.) and Ph. D. (Colombo). He is also a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society of Great Britain. He has been Rector of the Colombo Archdiocesan Seminary (1956-1961), St. Joseph's College, Colombo (1961-1971), Aquinas College of Higher Studies, Colombo (1971-1974), 1979-1989) and St. John Vianney Seminary for adult clergy candidates, Tudella (1989-1990). He has also been Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Colombo (1975-1977). He has held office in professional bodies in education and has represented Sri Lanka at several international educational conferences. He has written extensively in both Sinhala and English for the local press and has contributed to learned journals in Sri Lanka and abroad. He is the author of several research studies in Education and Sri Lankan Church History and has written a number of children's novels in Sinhala. The Daham Sarana Institute was initiated by him in 1991 for the publication of Catholic literature in Sinhala.

N O T I C E

"Catholic Church in Sri Lanka", A History in Outline, by Dr. W. L. A. Don Peter was first published in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1996 [ISBN 955-9124-38-2] with the financial aid from The Catholic Communication Campaign of the United States Catholic Conference, Washington, DC, USA.

This Page for the Web is designed and published by me with the consent of the author. There may be errors and omissions which may have occured in the process of transcribing the text from the book to the web. In this regard I would appreciate if you could kindly bring to my notice to the e-mail address given below.
Thank you,

Alexius Perera
23 August 1999
rperera @tin.it

 

 


Rome, 23 Agust 1999