"The theme of hope fits the feeling in people's hearts: in this phase, we are bearers of hope; we have the hope that comes from God. We listen and offer our strength so that the Lord may complete his work and we may do our part humbly and with faith."

"The Catholic religion was proscribed during the Dutch rule, penal laws were enacted, and the Catholics suffered severe persecution. Nevertheless the light of the Faith was not wholly extinguished and the practice of religion was continued especially through the exertions of missionaries."

"After the advent of Europeans to Ceylon and the consequent introduction of Western civilization, Buddhism lost much of its prestige just as it had previously lost much of its purity and activity. But within the last twenty-five years there has been a great Buddhist revival, mainly due to the efforts of the Theosophical Society founded by Col. Olcott and Madame Blavatsky. Schools have sprung up, pride in the ancient religion has revived, and under the leadership of educated Buddhists the masses have learned to resist Christian influences and have even shown a spirit of aggression."

"Ceylon is rich in vegetation and scenery, and as the traveller proceeds from Colombo to Kandy (the seat of the ancient kings) and thence to Newara Eliya, it presents a panorama of beauty."

"Catholics have an important role to play as builders of bridges of reconciliation among the ethnic groups, since the Church is recognised and appreciated all over the Island also for its work to promote and defend human rights."

"A child should be punished in a correct and humane manner, not out of anger or revenge but out of love and understanding."

"We must always listen to God's voice. He always speaks to us through someone else. So first we must learn to listen to God's divine voice which we may receive through others. Then we will not be misled in our journey of life."

"There are too many controversial issues in Sri Lanka: people who disappear, others arrested and illegally detained, tortured or killed in prison. I hug, talk and deal with the aspirations of the faithful who live in my diocese and, more generally, throughout Sri Lanka. For me it is a human, spiritual and religious mission."

"It is certainly a golden opportunity to strengthen the peace process. I should say, this is a silver lining over the tsunami cloud. The tsunami has broken the barriers and wiped out the hatred between the Tamils and Sinhala people in a big way."

"We place our hope first of all in God, then in the goodwill of the parties who say they are ready to resume dialogue."

"His Lordship's simplicity and compassion won the trust of all Sri Lankans. The close association His Lordship maintained with all Buddhist Prelates and other religious leaders embellished the religious coexistence in Sri Lanka. It is with immense gratitude that all Sri Lankans pay tribute to His Lordship and his life's work."

"You too should be sensitive to and have an equal share of sufferings of others, rather than concluding that you yourselves are poor and helpless."

"Reconciliation at all levels is the need of the hour in our country. The past is forgiven and forgotten. What is important is the future."

"The flame of the Christian faith has been ablaze for centuries and continues illuminating our life. In the humble daily work, in silence, in prayer, the Catholic families give the testimony of a Christian life."

"A lot of things need to be done since people are not totally free or happy. We have had a lot of struggles in relation to religious harmony. Due to the certain actions of Buddhist monks, there was unrest in the community. So nobody was able to do anything, not even the authorities."

"There has been no serious reconciliation process after the war, because the winning side saw no need for it. They had won and they were now in control – that was it. They see Sri Lanka as a Buddhist Sinhalese nation and they are not interested in reconciliation with other groups. After going through such a long war, they do not want to live anything similar again."

"We have always advocated for finding a political solution. We have always been against violence from whichever quarter it comes from. So I think, all political parties in the south should get together and offer a political solution paving the way for discussions with the LTTE and other Tamil leaders."

"In the Catholic Church, it is not like politics. When we accept a task, our main duty is to continue what our predecessors did."