Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka), maintains that «l’Europe n’est plus chrétienne» due to the presence of a large number of non-Christians and calls on the Church for an examination of conscience and a new spiritual, theological, and pastoral approach. He states this in an exclusive interview with Philippe Marie published on November 6 by Tribune Chrétienne.
The cardinal recalls that in 1973 he visited a German church full of families singing and responding to prayers, whereas today he finds empty pews. In his view, secularization and a «revolución teológica» accelerated this process. He also criticizes scandals and the church tax, which he considers contrary to the teaching of Christ, and proposes that the contribution of the faithful be voluntary.
The young people and the journey of Leo XIV
Ranjith describes the travels of Leo XIV to France and Spain as a success and highlights the participation of hundreds of thousands of young people. In his opinion, these young people want Europe to change its way of considering religion, and he emphasizes that «l’Église doit parler à l’Europe le langage de Dieu». He interprets the youthful interest in the spiritual as a rejection of hedonism and the idea that happiness depends on economic prosperity. He compares consumerism to «un mirage dans le désert» and maintains that true joy lies in being rather than in having.
Regarding the Christian roots of the continent, he laments that the European Union did not mention them in its Constitution, something he equates to someone who «rejette l’échelle après l’avoir utilisée pour monter». He also states that Christianity is «anticonformiste et toujours nouveau» and that the Church must not be trapped either in modernism or in traditionalism.
Islam, secularism and doctrine
Regarding the rise of Islam, the cardinal considers that it does not necessarily respond to a deliberate plan, but to a natural process in the face of Christian societies that adopt secular values. He adds that secularism generates a «doble vida» by separating belief from public practice. He rejects that Catholics respond with laws or impositions, as well as with extremist methods, and proposes instead the renewal of faith.
In doctrinal matters, Ranjith establishes that the ultimate criterion is the teaching of Jesus in the Gospels and that neither bishops nor synods can modify it. He recalls Christ’s demands regarding the gaze, divorce, and adultery, and affirms that the ordination of women is excluded and that John Paul II’s position is definitive. He applies this principle to the German Church and maintains that Western nations must not decide alone on doctrine, morality, and ministries.
The Easter attacks of 2019 and the situation in Sri Lanka
The archbishop recalls the attacks of April 21, 2019, against three places of worship and three hotels, which caused 273 deaths and more than 500 injuries. According to him, Indian intelligence services had given prior warnings since April 4. He denounces that the Rajapaksa political bloc obstructed the investigation and mentions the accusations of Hamzeer Moulana issued on Channel 4 on September 5, 2023, which link the plot to military services and Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s campaign, and which he presents as facts under debate, not proven. InfoVaticana already reported on Ranjith’s call to demand the truth about the attacks.
Regarding the situation in his country, he describes a political and economic crisis after the civil war and a change of government in 2024 with promises of transparency. The local Church, he adds, maintains vocations, participation in Mass, and small communities, although secularization is beginning to affect it. As for China, he believes that the dialogue between the Holy See and Beijing must be resolved locally, that the universal Church must play a discreet role, and that external interference could complicate the situation.