Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Canada, Asoka Girihagamaand staff members of the High Commission attended the Christmas celebrations organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group on 22 December 2018.
At the celebration, held at the St. John the Apostle Church, High Commissioner Girihagama commended the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group for their dedication in bringing the community together to celebrate Christmas. He noted that Christmas is not only a religious event and that it has cultural dimensions which strengthen bonds between family members as well as communities. The High Commission participates and encourages religious and cultural events such as Thai Pongal, Avurudu, Vesak, Eid, Deepavali and Christmas annually to bring harmony, peace and friendship among the communities, the High Commissioner added.
The Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was established in 1999 as a small religious group and has grown in to a leading prayer group of Sri Lanka in Ottawa today.
Rev. Fathers Cryton Outschoorn and Joseph Jacob conducted the Holy Mass.