ASIA/SRI LANKA-Appointment of the Bishop of Galle

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI on May 27, 2011 appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Galle (Sri Lanka) Rev.do Raymond Wickramasinghe, Professor of Moral Theology at the National Seminary of Our Lady of Lanka.
Rev.do Raymond Wickramasinghe was born on August 31, 1962, in Uthuwankanda (Mawanella), in the Diocese of Ratnapura. He studied philosophy in his country and theology at the National Major Seminary of Our Lady of Lanka, Ampitiya, Kandy. He was ordained on August 5, 1989 and incardinated in the diocese of Galle. After the creation of the Diocese of Ratnapura he opted to continue serving the diocese. After ordination, he held the following positions: 1989-1990: assistant Vicar in Ratnapura; 1990-1991: Rector of the Minor Seminary of Galle; 1991-1992: assistant Vicar in Balangoda, 1992-1994: Pastor of Rakwana and Administrator of Vianney House in Bulutota; 1994-1996: Secretary of the Bishop; 1996-1998: Studies for a licentiate in moral theology in Rome at the Alfonsianum Institute; 1998-1999: Secretary of the Bishop; 1999-2001: Studies for a Ph.D. in Moral Theology at the Alfonsianum Institute in Rome; 2001-2003: Parish priest in Kalegana; 2001-2002: Diocesan Director of Caritas; 2003-2008: Rector of St. Francis Xavier's Minor Seminary, Galle. Since 2008 he has been a Professor of Moral Theology at the National Seminary of Our Lady of Lanka.
The Diocese of Galle (1893), suffragan of the Archdiocese of Colombo, has an area of 5,493 sq.km. and a population of 2,580,000 inhabitants, of whom 9,511 are Catholics. There are 13 parishes, 33 priests (27 diocesans and 6 religious), 97 nuns and 12 major seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 05/27/2011)