Prospects of visit by new Pope

The prospect of the new Pope, Pope Leo XIV, visiting Sri Lanka reportedly arose during the recent visit of Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations. A papal visit would be a momentous event, a rare gesture of recognition and solidarity from the Vatican to a country still grappling with the legacies of conflict, inequality, and moral uncertainty and no doubt cause for great celebration.

However, there are many questions. The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka today is perceived to be led by one of the most divisive figures in recent memory. A papal visit would risk lending legitimacy to views that run directly counter to the inclusive and compassionate spirit emanating in recent years from Rome and presumably endorsed by the new Pope as well.

Cardinal Ranjith’s record speaks for itself. For decades, he has positioned himself against social progress, human rights, and equality. On issues ranging from ethnic reconciliation to gender justice and education reform, he has consistently chosen the path of reactionary conservatism. His opposition to sex education in schools, dismissing it as an attempt to introduce “horrible Western values”, reflects not moral clarity but moral panic. His refusal to support laws banning corporal punishment betrays a disturbing tolerance for violence under the guise of tradition. And his remarks on same-sex relationships are relics of an age when intolerance was cloaked in sanctimony.

This is not merely a matter of theological disagreement. The Cardinal’s public pronouncements shape social and political attitudes in a country already fractured along lines of ethnicity, faith, and class. At a time when Sri Lanka desperately needs compassion, reform, and moral leadership, Cardinal Ranjith is seen as a force of regression 

To his credit, the Cardinal did earn public respect in the aftermath of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, which targeted several Catholic churches and an evangelical church. His demands for justice for the victims were legitimate and courageous. For a brief moment, he appeared to transcend the narrow confines of church politics to become a moral voice for accountability. Yet that moment of clarity has long passed. His subsequent interventions on social issues have reaffirmed that he remains deeply committed to an outdated, patriarchal worldview.

The Catholic Church worldwide has, in many ways, moved beyond such positions. Under recent pontiffs, the Vatican has sought to embrace dialogue, inclusion, and a more humane approach to modern challenges, from the climate crisis to gender equality and LGBTQ+ dignity.

A Pope visiting Sri Lanka under the current leadership it is argued would signal not progress but complacency. It would risk emboldening the reactionary elements within Sri Lanka who continue to weaponise religion against social reform and minority rights.

A papal visit should be a celebration of faith, unity, and hope. It should uplift the spirit of reconciliation and moral courage that Sri Lanka so desperately needs. To host such a visit while the Church is headed by someone who stands against these very values would be a tragic misstep. It would not honour the victims of social injustice, nor inspire our country toward a more inclusive future. Rather, it would appear to endorse the very forces of division and ignorance that have long hindered Sri Lanka’s moral progress.