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The Sri Lanka Housewives’ Association parent body once again presents their much awaited fund raiser – ‘Home Makers Haven 2006’ on August 26, from 9.00 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. at the Grand Ballroom, Galle Face Hotel.

It will be a fun-filled morning with songs, dance, fashions, music, beauty demonstrations, raffle and entrance draws. An exclusive saree show by Gee Bees, shalwars from Golden Needle, exotic costume jewellery from Angel and casual wear from No Limit will complete the fashion segment. British Cosmetics will demonstrate a beauty routine.

Over 25 trade stalls will offer products at very special prices. An air ticket by courtesy of Air Arabia to Dubai and many more valuable prizes are on offer. Part proceeds of this event will be donated towards the Sri Lanka Cancer Society project.

Tickets, inclusive of snacks, are priced at Rs. 650, and are available at Sri Lanka Housewives’ Association, No. 179, Sir James Peiris Mawatha, Colombo 2; Gee Bees showrooms – Duplication Road; and at Amsons – No. 230 Galle Road, Colombo 06.

The Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Federation of NGOs Against Drug Abuse was held on July 28, at the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board auditorium, Rajagiriya.

The office bearers who held office in 2005/2006 were re-elected for the year 2006/2007: President – Rajes Nonis, Vice President – S. Dammulla, Hony. Secretary – Iflal Abdulla, Hony. Treasurer – Tony Dharmawardena and Asst. Treasurer – Rev. Fr. Jude Bernard Rodrigo.

Sameera Gayan Wijayathilaka’s maiden art exhibition titled ‘Mirror of Nature’ will be held at the Lionel Wendt gallery on August 18, 19 and 20.

Having begun painting purely to while away the time, while recuperating from illness as a child, Sameera’s talents have now blossomed. His paintings vary from landscapes to abstract to figurative art, and he was placed third at the Ceylon Society of Arts 2004 Landscape exhibition.

For the first time some of Sri Lanka's best choirs will be together on the same stage. The Merry An Singers with guest choirs the LG Singers, Revelations and the Colombo Philharmonic Choir have designed a programme, which will warm the hearts of the huge followers of this special kind of music, which runs from the majestic harmonies of Mozart's “Lacrymosa” through the traditional “O Sinner Man” to the zip of “He Is The Rock”.

The accompanists will be David Ratnanayagam, Neranjan de Silva and Christopher Prins.

Mary Anne David presents this concert as a tribute to her teachers and Directors. Satyendra Chellapah (conductor Cantata Singers) Sarath Fernando (past conductor of the Symphony Orchestra) and Fr. Claver Perera are the only three left in this country and will be honoured guests on that evening.

This concert of gospel and sacred song titled ‘To God Be The Glory’, will be held on August 20, at the Bishop's College auditorium.

The People's Movement for the Rights of Patients (PMRP), which is working towards the restoration of a health service where the well-being of the patient is given number one priority, will hold its Annual General Meeting preceded by a public meeting on August 19. The meeting will begin at 9.30 a.m. at the main hall of the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR), No. 281, Dean's Road, Maradana.

The Chief Guest and main speaker will be Dr. Palitha Abeykoon, Senior Policy Advisor to the World Health Organisation office in Colombo, and his theme will be ‘The need for a National Medicinal Drugs Policy whereby quality drugs can be made available to all the people at affordable prices.’

Those interested in attending the meeting or joining the movement could call 2789281, 0723 628004 or 071 4020845. The PMRP which has now been recognised by the WHO has opened its coordinating office on the 3rd floor of the CSR building at Dean’s Road.

The Oxford Society of Ceylon, which is planning a host of activities, invites members and would-be members to join them by sending its Joint Secretaries, as soon as possible, their names, addresses, e-mail addresses and telephone/mobile numbers to enable them to update the membership register, to keep members informed of the planned activities.

The Society is not confined to Sri Lanka, but welcomes any member of Oxford University resident temporarily or permanently in Sri Lanka to join. The membership fee for 2006 is Rs. 500.

Some of the activities planned are an Oxford Union debate, the launch of Ashok Ferrey’s latest book, a fund-raiser Christmas concert in aid of the society’s Sri Lanka Universities Scholarship Fund, a relaxing time with alumni in Peradeniya and Kandy, a seminar on IDPs (for NGOs dealing with them and the public with visiting local and resource persons), and a joint activity with the Cambridge Society of Sri Lanka.

Oxonians are requested to send in their particulars to either Joint Secretary – Suresh Mudannayake, No. 17, Flower Road, Colombo 7; e-mail muda@eureka.lk or Jill Macdonald, The Study, No. 10 Alwis Place, Colombo 3; e-mail thestudy@wow.lk

St. Mary’s Ratmalana, popularly known as St. Rita’s Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of the Assumption, on August 20, 2006, and the church’s centennial jubilee.

Oral traditions reveal that a small church built of cadjan was constructed prior to 1906, when people were subject to many illnesses. Tradition has it that the church that stands today was constructed in 1906 at a cost of Rs. 1,500 obtained from the Archbishop’s funds. Thus the Ratmalana church dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption came into existence.

In 1942, a prominent parishioner A. Lloyd Seneviratne, was instrumental in getting down the sacred relics of St. Rita of Cascia to Sri Lanka, and introducing the devotion to St. Rita to Ceylon. Soon Ratmalana’s fame spread throughout the island and Catholics from all parts of the country flocked to the shrine of St. Rita at Ratmalana.

The feast of St. Rita was so popular in those days that in 1939 the Times of Ceylon carried a news report of how crowded the trains were, on account of devotees attending the feast, not to mention those coming on foot, by car or bullock cart. Ratmalana became independent from the parish of Moratuwa on October 1, 1944. Rev. Fr. Julian Tanter O. M. I., a French missionary, was appointed the first parish priest.

Many dedicated priests served the parish of Ratmalana since 1944. Fr. Mahendra Gunathileke took over the parish in October 2002, preparing the faithful for the jubilee with the Church Development and Jubilee Committee. September 8, 2005 saw the laying of the foundation stone for the jubilee porch, yet another ambitious project of Fr. Mahendra.

The jubilee porch will be ceremonially opened on the eve of the jubilee on August 19 by the Most Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis, Archbishop of Colombo.

On the fist anniversary of the tsunami, a children’s park and library were also opened, in order to serve the children of the area. May 30, 2006 marked another significant milestone for the Ratmalana church with the foundation stone being laid for the ‘Elaine – Christu Shanthi Home for Elders’. Construction is ongoing and the home is expected to be opened in May, 2007.

The existing grotto built in 1999 had to be demolished, in order to make way for the elders’ home. Therefore, work on constructing a new grotto has also commenced. The new grotto will be opened on August 20, by the Most Rev. Marius Peiris, Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo.

The schedule of services for the centenary is as follows:
Novenas: August 12 to 18 at 7.00 p.m.
Vespers and procession: August 19 at 7.00 p.m.
Festive High Mass: August 20 at 8.00 a.m.
Jubilee Get-together (Entry ticket or invitation only): August 20 at 7.00 p.m.
For more information on the Jubilee, contact St. Mary’s Church, St. Rita’s Road, Ratmalana. Tel: 2637975, http://stmaryschurch.cjb.cc