The Parish of Our Lady of Good Counsel
Leicester is a typical multicultural,
Parish including a sizeable Sri Lankan
communities along with other
communities. What it lacked was a statue
of St Anthony. To rectify this Mr Roshan
Fonseka (aged 31) has presented a statue
of St Anthony that has travelled all the
way from Jaela. Sri Lanka.
The presentation was on Sunday 7th February
at 4.00pm at Our Lady of Good Counsel
Gleneagles Avenue Leicester. The statue
was received by the Rev. Fr Marcel
Fangoo C.S.S.P on behalf of the Parish.
Very Rev. Monsignor John Hadly held Mass
in thanksgiving. The afternoon was
sponsored by the Association of Sri
Lankan Catholics in the Midlands UK
(Leicester members).
This was then followed by a ceremony of
lighting the traditional oil lamp by ;
chief celebrant very Rev. Monsignor John
Hadly, Our lady of Good Counsel parish
priest Rev. Fr. Marcell Fangoo,
Venerable Hindikule pannasara thera from
Leicester Buddhist temple, President of
Association of Sri Lankan Catholics in
the Midlands UK Mrs Mary Manel
Madurapperuma Don, statue donator Mr.
Roshan Manjula Fonseka, event organiser
Mr. Antoine Surraj, representing the
Leicester members Mr. Nilusha, Tamil
representative, Muslim representative
and other parish community
representatives, President of Coventry
Sri Lankan Community Mr Oliver
Madurapperuma Don and Director of Sri
Lines group Dr Sampath Wijewardana.
About 400 people from around the
Midlands and abroad were present. Our
thanks go to all who attended and helped
the day be a success.
