By Ifham Nizam
The 155th annual feast of St. Anne’s Church, Wattala, was more than a traditional religious celebration this year. For Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Preeya Jayamanne, it was an opportunity to renew the spiritual life of the parish, strengthen community participation and encourage people to look beyond the external aspects of an annual feast.
Speaking to The Island, Rev. Fr. Jayamanne said his primary focus was to use the historic occasion as a period of spiritual renewal.
“I always take the annual feast as a special opportunity to work towards the spiritual upliftment of the parish. Often, we tend to concentrate only on the external extravaganza, but for me, the annual feast is a God-given opportunity — almost like a retreat — to uplift and strengthen the spiritual life of our people,” the priest said.
The preparations for this year’s feast therefore began well before the actual celebrations, with particular emphasis on the Small Christian Communities and reaching parishioners at grassroots level.
As the National Director for Small Christian Communities, Rev. Fr. Jayamanne said he strongly believed in the concept and had worked to strengthen it in the different parishes where he had served.
“My main concern was to reach people at the grassroots level. We began our preparations through the Small Christian Communities, meeting parishioners and encouraging families to pray together and intercede for others,” he said.
The objective was to make the feast a spiritual journey for the parish rather than simply a major event on the annual calendar.
Rev. Fr. Jayamanne also wanted to reach people who may not regularly participate in church activities.
“In any parish, there are people who do not come to church regularly. During a period such as the annual feast, we have an opportunity to reach out to those people as well. That was one of my main concerns,” he said.
The Novena leading up to the feast was therefore given particular importance.
Parishioners were encouraged to step away from their normal routines, make a small sacrifice and devote time to prayer, Holy Mass and listening to the Word of God.
“The seven or eight days of the Novena give people a wonderful opportunity to step away from their normal routine, make a little sacrifice for God, listen to His Word and preaching, participate in Holy Mass and allow themselves to be spiritually nourished,” Rev. Fr. Jayamanne said.
Families were also encouraged to make a commitment to attend the Novena continuously. Small gestures such as placing a pledge sticker on their flags were used to encourage families to make a personal commitment to the spiritual preparation.
Confession given priority
The Sacrament of Reconciliation was another major focus of the preparations.
Rev. Fr. Jayamanne wanted parishioners to understand that confession should not simply be an annual obligation but could become the beginning of a continuing spiritual journey.
“Confession was one of my top priorities. I wanted people to make a good confession and understand that confession is not simply an annual obligation. It can become the beginning of a regular spiritual journey,” he said.
Around 35 priests were brought in during the feast period to hear confessions, providing parishioners with greater access to the sacrament.
For Rev. Fr. Jayamanne, confession is fundamentally a personal encounter with Jesus.
“When you make a confession, you are speaking directly to Jesus. The priest is an instrument. You open yourself, you are guided and you receive God’s forgiveness. It is a very personal encounter with Jesus,” he explained.
He believes that this spiritual emphasis contributed significantly to the positive response to this year’s feast.
Faith and community
For Rev. Fr. Preeya Jayamanne, the role of the Church does not end at the church gate.
He believes Christianity must be reflected in the way people live with one another and contribute to society.
“Christianity is not something that we practise only within the four walls of the church. Jesus taught us how to live with people. Love one another, live with one another and share with one another — that is at the heart of our faith,” he said.
This philosophy was reflected in the social activities associated with the feast.
The carnival, for instance, was not regarded simply as entertainment. It provided an opportunity for people to meet, interact and spend time together.
“I really value the carnival because people come together, meet one another, talk and participate. Even the vendors who come to make a living should benefit. They are part of the community, and they too should receive something in return,” he said.
For the parish priest, everyone connected with the feast has a role to play and should feel that they are part of the wider community.
A welcoming parish
Another encouraging aspect of this year’s celebrations was the interaction among people from different backgrounds.
Rev. Fr. Jayamanne said he was particularly pleased to see people from outside the regular congregation visiting the church premises and participating in the wider atmosphere of the feast.
He also observed a greater presence of Muslims among the visitors and said he welcomed the opportunity for people of different faiths to interact naturally.
“I always try to speak with everyone who comes, ask where they are from and make them feel at home,” he said.
For him, this was simply another expression of the community spirit that the feast sought to encourage.
Participation creates belonging
Rev. Fr. Jayamanne believes that participation is essential to building a strong parish.
People should not merely attend events; they should feel that they have a role in them.
“We have to give people opportunities to participate. When people participate in small activities, they begin to feel that they belong. That sense of belonging is very important for building a strong community,” he said.
This is also why he places such importance on Small Christian Communities.
Large events can bring people together for a short period, but smaller community activities can create lasting relationships.
The annual feast, in his view, should therefore be the culmination of a process of preparation and participation rather than an isolated event.
Renewing a 155-year tradition
The 155th annual feast carried with it the weight of a long and respected tradition.
For generations, devotees have turned to St. Anne seeking her intercession and guidance. The historic shrine has consequently become an important part of the religious life of the community.
Rev. Fr. Jayamanne believes that even a tradition with such a long history requires periodic renewal.
A parish can sometimes become lukewarm or lethargic, he said, and a major occasion such as the annual feast can provide an opportunity to revive enthusiasm and participation.
The challenge is therefore not merely to preserve the tradition, but to make it meaningful for each new generation.
Rev. Fr. Shehan Rajesh (left) with Rev. Fr. Preeya Jayamanne
That was one of the principal objectives behind this year’s preparations.
Looking ahead
With the 155th feast coming to an end this week, Rev. Fr. Jayamanne is already looking towards the next opportunities to strengthen the spiritual and community life of the parish.
One of the major events ahead is the Corpus Christi procession, the Eucharistic procession expected towards the end of September.
He sees this as another opportunity for parishioners to come together in faith.
Christmas will provide another important platform for community participation.
“Christmas will be another important opportunity — not simply as a religious celebration, but as a social event where everyone can participate and experience the joy of the birth of Jesus,” he said.
The underlying philosophy remains the same: religious celebrations should ultimately bring people closer to one another and encourage them to play a more active role in their community.
More than a feast
For Rev. Fr. Preeya Jayamanne, the success of the 155th annual feast cannot be measured simply by the size of the crowds or the scale of the external celebrations.
Its real value lies in the spiritual preparation, the participation of parishioners, the strengthening of community relationships and the opportunity to welcome people beyond the regular congregation.
“I thank the parishioners. They were very open-hearted. They appreciated what we were doing, and that encouraged me to do a little extra,” he said.
He hopes the momentum created by the feast will continue long after the decorations are removed and the celebrations are over.
“Wherever we have a church feast, we must make maximum use of the opportunity — not only to attract people to the Church, but to spiritually nourish them and strengthen the bonds within the community,” he said.
And that perhaps captures the deeper meaning of St. Anne’s 155th annual feast.
It was a celebration rooted in history, but directed towards the future — a time for prayer and reflection, but also for fellowship and participation.
For Rev. Fr. Preeya Jayamanne, the feast was ultimately an opportunity to remind the parish that faith is not something confined to a church building.
It is lived through families, communities and relationships — through the willingness to pray together, participate together, help one another and make everyone feel that they belong.
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