Rawatawatte Church

1959
First Mass
The first holy mass was held at Soysa Walauwa, Walauwatte on the 28th of June 1959 Sunday 6.45am by Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo and Parish Priest of Moratuwa Late Rt. Rev. Dr. Edmund Joseph Fernando.

1960
First Church
Construction of the First Church Building was commenced on the 28th of May 1960, with substantial donation by Mrs. Walter S. J. Peries in memory of her son Leslie Chandrasekara. Ceremonial Foundation Stone was laid by Archbishop of Colombo Late Cardinal Cooray in presence of the Parish Priest Of Moratuwa Late Rt. Rev. Dr. Edmund Joseph Fernando

1962
Consecration
1st Stage of the church construction was completed on the 30th of December 1962, Sunday 5.00pm and Consecrated the church to Mother Mary the “Queen Of Angels” By the Archbishop of Colombo Late Cardinal Cooray

1975
Crowning

13th Jubilee celebrations and Crowning of the “Queen Of Angels” statue was done by the Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis while the Jubilee Mass was held by the Parish Priest of Moratuwa Rev. Fr. H Don Anselum and late Rev. Fr. Godfree Fernando who looked after the Rawatawatte Church.

1977
Societies

Between 1977 and 1979 Religious Societies were developed by Rev. Fr. Hugo Palihawadene who was in charge of the Rawatawatte Church

1979
Parish

In June 1979, Rawatawatte Parish was inaugurated combining Lunawa & Angulana Churches. The First Parish Priest was Rev. Fr. John Gomez who also built the mission house, he also established Sunday obligatory Saturday mass. He improved the existing Old Daham Pasal building and also established seven Zones in the Parish. In his spiritual perspective of the new Parish, he initiated the taking of statues to houses during the month of May.

1987
Extension

In light of the 25th Jubilee of the Church, Rev. Fr. Nimal Ponweera built the altar at the present location of the Queen Of Angels' Church while extending the church. Archbishop of Colombo Most Rev. Dr. Nicolas Marcus Fernando blessed and opened the church on the 10th of October 1987.

1989
Cemetery

Rev. Fr. Nimal Ponweera allocated the land for the cemetery of the Church. The first burial and blessing was done in September of 1989.

1990
Wayside shrine for the remote area's

Under the spiritual perspective of Rev. Fr. Edward Reval, the 8th zone was established in the Parish combining the remote area's of the Parish. Wayside shrines were established throughout these area's including Rotarypura, Dandeniyawatta, Siribaramanikepura and Soysapura.

1998
Apparition

Through the 16th of October to the 20th of November 1998 an apparition occurred at the Queen Of Angels' Church, which is seen even today.

2000
Side wings

The construction of the side wings of the Queen of Angels' Church was started under the supervision of Rev. Fr. Edward Ravel and was later blessed and declared open by Rev. Fr. Anura Silvester on the 8th of October 2000.

2001
Wayside to Church

Under the guidance of Rev. Fr. Srilal Fonseka, projects were initiated to convert the wayside shrines of Soysapura and Rotarypura to meet the requirements of a Church. Plans were drawn for a New Daham Pasal building and the foundation stone was laid by Rev. Fr. Srilal Fonseka. The structurally completed Daham Pasal building was blessed and declared opened by Rev. Fr. Srilal Fonseka.

2002
BCC Groups

Under the vision of Rev. Fr. Ranjith Madurawela, the Soysapura Church was renovated and the 9th Zone was established. 53 BCC groups were also instated throughout the zones of the Parish. Work to further renovate the New Daham Pasal building was started.

2008
New Mission House

Due to the dilapidated condition of the Mission House built in 1979, Rev. Fr. Tyronne Perera started the renovation of the Mission House, Daham Pasal building and cemetery.

2011
Renovation of the Daham Pasal building

With the guidance of Rev. Fr. Tyronne Perera, the interior and exterior finishing of the Daham Pasal building was completed on the 21st of August 2011 and declared open by Rev. Fr. Ranjith Madurawela who led the pilot project that rendered into its current structural state.

2012
50th Jubilee

The entire Church facade was rebuilt in view of the 50th Jubilee celebrations of the Church. The entire church was renovated including the altar and the church floor raised nearly 2.5 feet to prevent the consistent threat of flooding. The partially built Mission House was also completed. Archbishop of Colombo Most Rev.Dr. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith blessed and declared open the newly renovated Church and Mission House on the 19th of August 2012.

2013
Landscaping

The landscaping project was started off by the Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Shamira Nirosh Cooray, and special spiritual programs were conducted, repair work was done for the church ceiling when part of it collapsed.

2014
Ceiling

Due to the dilapidated condition and the dangers of the ceiling, the ceiling of the Church was removed under the supervision of Rev. Fr. Shamira Cooray. A fund raising project was drawn to raise funds for a new ceiling.

Parish Priests

1979 – 1983 : Rev. Fr. John Gomez
1983 – 1990 : Rev. Fr. Nimal Ponweera
1990 – 2000 : Rev. Fr. Edward Rewel
2000 – 2002 : Rev. Fr. Srilal Fonseka
2002 – 2007 : Rev. Fr. Ranjith Madurawala
2007 – 2013 : Rev. Fr. Tyronne Perera
2013 – 2013 : Rev. Fr. Christo Viraj Fernando (May - July)
2013 – 2014 : Rev. Fr. Shamira Nirosh Cooray
2014 – 2016 : Rev. Fr. Sunil Kumara Peiris
2016 – To date : Rev. Fr. Edrich Rodrigo

Assistant Priests

1998 – 1999 : Rev. Fr. Indra Fernando
1999 – 2001 : Rev. Fr. Dilan Perera
2001 – 2002 : Rev. Fr. Saman Maximus
2002 – 2005 : Rev. Fr. Canisus Neris
2005 – 2007 : Rev. Fr. Tharanga Sampath
2007 – 2009 : Rev. Fr. Malaka Silva
2009 – 2010 : Rev. Fr. Laknath Cooray
2010 – 2012 : Rev. Fr. Wasantha Prasanna Fernando
2012 – 2014 : Rev. Fr. Kasun Ishara Fernando
2014 – 2015 : Rev. Fr. Clarence Dilran Peiris
2015 – 2016 : Rev. Fr. Jude Nuwan Buddhika
2015 – 2016 : Rev. Fr. Heshan Sachitra Perera (pro tem)
2016 – To date : Rev. Fr. Dilip Sampath Charles

Lunawa Church

A sub division of the stretch of land running from Laxapathiya Coconut Plam Garden through Lunamodera was named “The King’s Plam Garden” which later became Uyana.

1537
First Church (St. Joseph’s Church)

First Church was built in 1537. This St. Josepth’s Church situated on the present Moratuwa rest house premises in Lunawa was known as the “Athu 30 Palliya” because it was roofed with 30 cadjans. It was also known as “Padlli-maduwa”.

1552
19 Martyrs

19 Catholics of a same family were martyred by the ruthless persecutor of Veediya Bandara and buried at the premises of Athu 30 Palliya in the very site of Lunamodera where the present Moratuwa Rest House stands.

1603
Second Church (St. Michael’s Church)

Since the ancestral people of Moratuwa being warriors, the first church of Moratuwa dedicated to St. Michael the archangel was established at Lunawa by the Jesuit Fathers which lasted for 55 years as the Parish Church of Moratuwa.

1824
Third Church (First Ss. Peter & Paul’s Church)

The first church of Ss. Peter & Paul the apostles were built at Lunawa at the present premises

1884
Forth Church (Second Ss. Peter & Paul’s Church)

As the First church of Ss. Peter & Paul’s Church was in a dilapidated condition, people were compelled to demolish the existing structure and the project for the new church was set on foot. Construction of the second church was commenced in 1884. On the 18th Of January 1884, His Grace the Archbishop Christopher Bonjean laid the foundation stone for the new church.

2009
125th Jubilee
On the 5th of June 2009, the Ss. Peter & Paul’s Church celebrated its 125th Jubilee. The mass was carried out by his Grace the Archbishop of Colombo Most. Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis. Rev. Fr. Srilal Fonseka and Mr. Russel took much pain to complete the renovation before the Jubilee.

Agulana Church

1870
First Church

First Church was built in 1870 with the help of a rich catholic donor Mr. Mahawidanalage Don Bonifasius Ferdinando who purchased the land and built this church with at his own expense. Afterwards the church was blessed on 2nd December 1870.

Consecration & First Mass

The church was consecrated to St. Francis Xaviour and the first Festive mass was held on 3rd December 1870.

1895
25th Jubilee

The 25th Jubilee was celebrated

1920
50th Jubilee

The 50th Jubilee was celebrated

1970
100th Jubilee

The 100th Jubilee was celebrated

1985
Renovation
In 1985 the dilapidated old church was demolished and a team of youth in the village reconstructed the super structure of the church with the supervision of Rev. Fr. Nimal Ponveera. Rev. Fr. Edward Revel took all the burden on his shoulders to complete construction work of the church prior to the 125th Jubilee.

1995
125th Jubilee

The new church was blessed by Rt. Rev. Dr. Nicholas Marcus Fernando on the day of 125th Jubilee celebrations held on 3rd December 1995.

* This is an extract from the book "December Breeze 2008"