Ten years of Catholic television in Sri Lanka
Card Ranjith led a Mass in Tewatta to celebrate Verbum TV, a Catholic broadcaster founded in 2015 by a lay couple that today has a viewership of around 200,000.
Colombo (Asia News) – Sri Lanka’s only Catholic television station, Verbum TV, marked 10 years of activity with a Thanksgiving Mass in the Chapel of the Risen Christ at the broadcaster's headquarters in Tewatta, from where all spiritual programmes and holy masses are broadcast.
Archbishop Card Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo led the service together with Fr Roshan Silva, Provincial of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and Fr Sriyananda Fernando, administrator of the Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka in Tewatta.
The Thanksgiving Mass was attended by all the staff, together with the founders, Milan and Malika De Silva, family members and benefactors.
“We thank God for Verbum TV, the greatest gift Sri Lanka has received to embody God's message. Let us bless it to make it even stronger. Let us fulfil our responsibility as Catholics to lead the whole world to God through this broadcaster,” Card Malcolm Ranjith said.
During the event, the archbishop conveyed the grateful appreciation of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka (CBCSL) for this mission, carried out by Anura Milan De Silva, a layman.
“One day, 10 years ago, he came to see me and talked to me about his dream,” Card Ranjith said. “He told me that no matter how much he gained in wealth, he wanted to serve the Lord using his earnings.”
“I want to start a television channel that our Catholic Church in Sri Lanka needs today very much,” the cardinal said citing De Silva. “Day after day, you ran the TV station yourself, but you have relied fully on God's providence. So we take this opportunity to thank you.”
The prelate went on to say, “We must work to further embody God's message through Verbum TV and modern media. Let us fulfil our responsibility to lead the whole world to God and to make this world, which is afflicted by sin and selfishness, a cleaner place.”
At the end of the liturgy, Anura Milan De Silva expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all who supported his venture with financial aid, work, time and prayers over these 10 years, amid various obstacles.
“If we look at the media in Sri Lanka before 2015, we Catholics had very few opportunities," he explained. “We had one possibility once every two months on national television. But when we started Verbum TV, we showed that there are Catholic viewers in Sri Lanka and so other channels also started to broadcast Christian programmes.”
De Silva noted that out of about 1.3 million Catholics in Sri Lanka, about 200,000 watch Verbum TV.
“During the COVID period, Verbum TV was a valuable support. We Catholics must be grateful and we must help to move forward. It is a great blessing for Sri Lankans,” said Ruban and Jasintha, a Catholic couple from the Diocese of Chilaw, speaking to AsiaNews.
A non-Catholic resident of the Jaela area said: “Every morning, as I get ready for work, I watch TV and get an idea of the day and this helps me spend it with joy.”
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