Right of Reply to Mr. G.A.D. Sirimal’s letter “Harin and Easter Attacks”

As a practicing Catholic, well versed in Scripture, traditions and practises of the Catholic Church I would like to correct some inaccuracies contained in the above letter. First of all I would like to refer Mr. Sirimal to the quotation from Alexander Popes Poem, “little Learning”, which begins with “A little learning is a dangerous thing”. At the Commission investigating into the Easter Sunday attack, Harin made the insinuation that the Catholic hierarchy probably had prior knowledge of the attack based on his presumption that the Cardinal traditionally celebrates Holy Mass on Easter Sunday Morning and he failed to do so on that occasion. However on cross examination the Cardinal’s Counsel Shamil Perera suggested that the Cardinal traditionally celebrates Holy Mass on Saturday evening as an Easter Vigil and invited his comments. Harin thereupon admitted that he was not aware of this tradition and had made his comment on the spur of the moment without checking the facts. It was also revealed in the proceedings that a CID Sergeant named Nandalal had given a call to Harin’s father at 8.12 p.m. on the 20th and records showed that the call was of a six minute duration. Harin admitted that he received the warning given by his father from his sister and said that he had not heard of or known the Sergeant and it was obviously not Harin therefore who had conveyed this information to the Commission about the Sergeant’s call. In Mr. Sirimal’s eyes Harin may appear to be a Hero but the fact remains that if Harin or his father who had prior knowledge of the possibility of attacks and had communicated this vital piece of information to the Cardinal or any member of the Church hierarchy, the devastation or a part of it, could have been averted and several lives saved. People from all walks of life and diverse religions have expressed their anger at the comments and false allegations made by Harin. The Catholic Church will not excommunicate Harin for allegations and misrepresentation of facts because the hallmark of the Catholic Church is mercy and forgiveness, but we will certainly pray for him that as a baptised Catholic, he be inspired by the Holy Spirit and acquire the Gift of Wisdom. However the cries, lamentations of the victims and the families of the dead as a result of the Easter Sunday attack is the legacy that we have to carry and let God grant them peace in their hour of distress.