The two spiritual leaders of  the world, Justin  Welby (Left) and Francis 1

• He adores the sacrament of the Eucharist. He adds the morning and evening office, Book of Common Prayer version, in the chapel of the palace, every day. For Welby, ‘the routine of regular prayer is immensely important in overcoming the ups and downs of human moods

His Grace, the Archbishop of Canterbury is the Shepherd to over 700 plus million Anglicans around the world who keep increasing daily. He thinks of all Christians of the world, including the Roman Catholics, as God’s flock.

The short visit of His Grace, the Archbishop of Canterbury to Sri Lanka is a solidarity visit he is making as the Metropolitan of the Church of Ceylon in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday carnage. This visit is not in any way related to the creation of a Province of the Anglican Church. He will hold prayers of worship with his followers in the Diocese of Colombo and the Diocese of Kurunagala on August 29 and 30. 

The beginning of our faith through churches were founded in South India in the 3rd and 4th century by Christians  from the Persian Gulf and of the Portuguese between the 6th century and 16th century. 

When the Portuguese came to Ceylon in 1505, their arrival was described using historical metaphor; sword in one hand and the cross in the other. That is what historians say as they started destroying and vandalizing other holy places. Desecrated by their acts the Hindus and Buddhists alike stood aghast with horror. However, the elaborate rituals of the Roman Catholic Church with its pomp and feasts, found no difficulty in exchanging  the old faith for a new cult.  As a result Franciscan priest named Father Vincent, the first Roman Catholic Missionary, set foot in the island in 1505. (researched)

By this time the King of Kandy, Vimaladharmasuriya, who had grown weary of the much hated Portuguese, opened up new ways to get rid of them. The Portuguese concentrated their whole strength within the capital, Colombo. (researched) 

As Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Portal Welby is the Primate of All England and the head Primus inter pares of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Welby was educated at the University of Cambridge where he studied history and law. Later in life, he received an ordination at St John’s College, Durham. After several parochial appointments he became the Dean of Liverpool in 2007 and the Bishop of Durham in 2011.

EDUCATION

Welby was educated at St Peter’s School, Seaford; Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, where his great-uncle, Lord Butler of Saffron Walden, was then master. He graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and law; as per tradition he was later promoted to a Master of Arts by seniority. 

In a 12 July 2013 interview with The Daily Telegraph, Welby related his conversion experience when he was a student at Trinity College, Cambridge. He said that, while he was at Eton, he had “vaguely assumed there was a God. But I didn’t believe. I wasn’t interested at all.” But during the evening of 12 October 1975 in Cambridge, praying with a Christian friend, Welby said that he suddenly felt “a clear sense of something changing, the presence of something that had not been there before in my life. He said to his friend, “Please don’t tell anyone about this.” Welby said that he was desperately embarrassed that this had happened to him. He has since credited his time at Cambridge as being a major moment of self-realisation in his life.  At the age of 19 he began speaking in tongues.

Calling from God

Welby worked for eleven years in the oil industry, five of them for the French oil company Elf Aquitaine based in Paris. In 1984 he became treasurer of the oil exploration group Enterprise Oil plc in London, where he was mainly concerned with West African and North Sea oil projects. He retired from his executive position in 1989 and said that he sensed a calling from God to be ordained. 

From 1989 to 1992, Welby studied theology and trained for the priesthood at Cranmer Hall and St John’s College, Durham, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree and a Diploma in Ministry (DipMin) in 1992.  In 2002, Welby was appointed a canon residentiary of Coventry Cathedral and the co-director for international ministry at the International Centre for Reconciliation. In 2005, he was appointed sub-dean and Canon for Reconciliation Ministry.

Welby was appointed Dean of Liverpool in December 2007 and was installed there on December 8, 2007.

 On November 9, 2012, Welby’s appointment to the position was announced. 

Welby was enthroned as the Archbishop of Canterbury at Canterbury Cathedral on March 21, 2013, which in the calendar of the Anglican churches is an observance of Thomas Cranmer.
Welby’s schedule included an official visit to the Vatican on June 14, 2013, with visits to senior Curial officials, including Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, an official audience with Pope Francis and prayer at the tombs of Saint Peter and Pope John Paul II. 

His grace the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby

RELIGION

In a 12 July 2013 interview with The Daily Telegraph, Welby addressed questions about his religion. His answers included the following:

Asked whether he can speak “in tongues”, Welby answered, “Oh yes, it’s just a routine part of spiritual discipline — you choose to speak and you speak a language that you don’t know. It just comes.”

He adores the sacrament of the Eucharist. He also says the morning and evening office, Book of Common Prayer version, in the chapel of the palace, every day. For Welby, ‘the routine of regular prayer is immensely important in overcoming the ups and downs of human moods.’ For his spiritual discipline, Welby uses Catholic models – the contemplation and stability of Benedictines and the rigorous self-examination of Ignatius of Loyola. He also has a spiritual director, the Roman Catholic priest Nicolas Buttet.

Benedictine and Franciscan orders in the Anglican churches, along with Catholic social teaching, have influenced his spiritual formation.

Interviewed by the BBC in 2011, Welby said that to be appointed Bishop of Durham was both challenging and a huge privilege: “I was astonished to be offered the role. It is a passionate desire to see a church that is vigorously full of spiritual life, serving Jesus Christ and serving those around it.” His election was confirmed (i.e. he legally became the Bishop of Durham) at York Minster on September 29, 2011 and he left Liverpool Cathedral on October 2. He was consecrated as a Bishop at York Minster on October 28, 2011 and was enthroned as Bishop of Durham in Durham Cathedral on November 26, 2011. He was introduced to the House of Lords on January 12, 2012, where he sits on the Lords Spiritual bench. He gave his maiden speech on May 16, 2012. He was asked to join the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards in 2012.

He graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and law; as per tradition he was later promoted to a Master of Arts by seniority

HEAD OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN CEYLON

Rs. Rev. Bishop Dhiloraj Ranjit Canagasabey, the current Bishop of Colombo, born 23 May 1955, had his early education at the Roman Catholic St. Michael’s College Batticaloa. He studied theology and joined the Theological College of Sri Lanka, Pillimatalawa in 1977 Having obtained Bachelor of Theology and Bachelor of Divinity degrees from the University of Serampore, was ordained  as a deacon on May 27, 1983 and a priest on June 3, 1983. He became the Archdeacon of Nuwara Eliya after serving several parishes. He was Chaplain and Headmaster of St. Thomas College, Bandarawela. On 5 March 2011 the Diocesan Council of Colombo elected Canagasabey as the 15th Church of Ceylon Bishop of Colombo.
Thus, he was consecreated on May 14, 2011 at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour in the presene   of several Bishops from here and abroad by Rt. Rev. Duleep Chikera and a representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev. Dr. Rown Williams. 

Much loved and revered by his flock for his simplicity and faith in God, Bishop Canagasabey inspires all who seek him when in trouble. Dedicated, full time priest, God comes first to lead him through.

The Archdeacon of Colombo, Ven Perry Broier is the Vicar of Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour.

(The writer is a member of the General Assembly of Church of Ceylon)