Archbishop's House,
Colombo - 8,
Sri Lanka
Phone: +94-11-2695471-2-3; +94 11-2696054
Fax :+94-11-2692009
Email:
[email protected],
[email protected]
Cardinal Patabendige Don Malcolm Ranjith was born on Nov. 15, 1947, at Polgahawela. He was ordained a priest on June 29, 1975 at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome by Pope Paul VI, and was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo. His Episcopal ordination was on June 17, 1991. He was appointed Bishop of Ratnapura on Nov. 2, 1995.
In 2004, Bishop Ranjith was appointed as the Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia and Timor Leste.
Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Archbishop of Colombo on June 16, 2009. He was installed as the 9th Archbishop of Colombo, at St. Lucia 's Cathedral, Kotahena, Colombo 13, on Aug. 5, 2009. The pope elevated him to the rank of cardinal on Oct. 20, 2010.
Archbishop Ranjith was awarded for the Thomas Aquinas Medallion in the field of religious education by Thomas Aquinas College, California , USA (2007) and 7th International Award "Giuseppe Sciacca" by the president of the Republic of Italy for achievements in the cultural field (2008).
Archbishop Ranjith was the Secretary General of the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, (2005-2009), one of only two Asians who held top positions in the Roman Curia. He was also Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for Evangelization of Peoples (2001-2004) and various Episcopal commissions: Member of the Restricted Committee of the National Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), Member - Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences Office for Evangelization (OE), Coordinator - Children's Desk Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences Office for Evangelization (OE), Member of the Supreme Committee of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), President - Pontifical Mission Societies, International (2001-2004), Member of the Pontifical Committee of International Eucharistic Congresses (2002-2009).
He served as secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka (1995-2001) and chairman of the National Commission for Justice, Peace and Human Development.
Archbishop Ranjith is the present President of Catholic Bishop's Conference of Sri Lanka.
He is fluent in languages such as Sinhala, English, Tamil, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Indonesian-Bhasa, Greek, Latin and Hebrew.
Website: www.archdioceseofcolombo.com
