Women prisoners in Welikada ask Card Ranjith to help them and their children
Colombo (AsiaNews) - Card. Malcolm Ranjith, archbishop of Colombo, celebrated the first Mass of the new year in the Women’s Ward of Welikada prison (pictured).
The inmates who took part in the Mass with their children and prison guards asked the prelate to intercede on their behalf with the government to speed up trials and help have better contact with their children, so that they may soon return to their families.
Together with the prison chaplain, Fr Julian Patrick Perera, and the Sisters of the Holy Family, the inmates set up the hall where the Mass was held in Sinhalese, Tamil and English. Later, the jailed women gave Card Ranjith some written requests.
"Your grace,” the letter said, “there are so many inmates here who are mothers. They have children at home. Without mothers, those children are facing some difficulties. We kindly urge you to intervene with the responsible authorities to find a solution to our requests”.
In their plea, the women ask for faster trials to avoid traumatising their children who either have to be in prison to be with their mother, or live at home without maternal help, as well as the transfer of women’s ward closer to Colombo to facilitate family visits.
One woman told AsiaNews that "The most urgent need is fast and fair trials to reduce prison terms, since we are mothers. Some of us have been in here for 10, 15 years. The government would also benefit because it would save money instead of keeping us in."
In his homily, Card Ranjith stressed that despite their imprisonment, "your life does not end here.
“Use your incarceration as a good opportunity and a challenge,” he told them, “and try to convert your life and follow the right path. Each one of you has dignity, and respect should not be destroyed, especially in this Year of Mercy. Try to live in the Mercy of Jesus. "
After the service, the archbishop handed out gifts to the youngest children of the prisoners.
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