The Association was established in France by Fr Pierre-Bienvenu Noailles. The students of the Holy Family Convent Girls’ School in Bambalapitiya are grateful for the blessings received in recent years, including vocations. They pray for the for the country for the similar blessing.
Colombo (AsiaNews) – Hundreds of students celebrated the School Day of the Holy Family Sconvent School last Monday together with teachers, nuns and representatives of the Association.
The event was held at the Holy Family Convent Girls’ School in Bambalapitiya, Colombo, in conjunction with 72nd anniversary of Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948.
In his homily, Fr Daya Shelton Welikadaarachchi urged the students to "live and proclaim the beauty of the Holy Family's way of life, in school, at home, in the parishes, so as to show the Christian spirit to the world.”
Festivities began with a Eucharistic procession, followed by adoration of the Sacrament and finally Mass.
During the procession, participants held a red water lily in their hands, whilst ten students dropped white flowers as the priest walked on.
Some students held clay lamps in accordance with the Tamil fire ritual of Aarti.
In her address, school principal Sr Deepa Fernando talked about the association’s foundation and its five vocations: apostolic nuns, contemplative nuns, consecrated lay people, priests and secular members.
During the prayer, schoolchildren thanked God for the five vocations received over the years and the blessings received by the whole country.
The principal told AsiaNews that the Holy Family was founded by Fr Pierre-Bienvenu Noailles in France, “immediately after the French Revolution.
“It was a time when the Church was in turmoil and most Christians had abandoned the faith. Even the priests and religious had left the congregations.
“This year we are celebrating 200 years of our foundation.” For this, “we are grateful to the Lord.”