I am a person who holds a fairly higher position in a private company. The director of my company decided to send me to Singapore, to follow a special course for a period of one year.
The day I had to leave Sri Lanka, I requested a friend of mine to accompany me in that midnight, to go to the Airport. On the day of my departure, along with my friend, I began my journey from Battaramulla to the Katunayake Airport. When we were getting closer to the turn off to the Airport, my friend told me that if we further travel another 2 miles, we could visit the Shrine, which is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He further told me that the Shrine which is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Miraculous Shrine, and if I wish, we could go there and lit some candles. My friend is a Catholic and I am a Buddhist, yet, I happily agreed with him.
We traveled another 2 miles without turning at the turn off to the Katunayake Airport. While we were traveling my friend briefed me about this Shrine. He told me that he is coming to this Shrine for the last 3 years, and in this Shrine, a special religious service is held every Saturday evening, and that day also, since it was a Saturday, he had gone to this Shrine and had come back to accompany me to the Airport. He further explained to me that when we write our problems in the form of letters to the Holy Apostolic Father who resides in that Shrine, he prays before the Blessed Virgin Mary, on behalf of us, and that we could receive abundant graces.
We reached the Shrine within minutes. The gate of the Shrine was closed, but we were able to get it opened. The Tiny Church which is in a shape of a house was closed. But we knelt and prayed at the huge Statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is in the Shrine Ground. I followed my friend and lit candles. I also prayed at that Miraculous Ground, in front of the Statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and requested her to bless me throughout my journey, and also to help me to follow the new course without any difficulty.
Even though I completed my one year course and retuned to Sri Lanka, I noticed that there was a change in the attitude of our company director towards me. The friendliness which he had towards me one year ago, when he decided to send me to Singapore, was not there. I felt that he was ignoring me. I waited patiently for 6 months. There was no change in his attitude. By this time, there were also no signs that I will get my due promotion.
Then I remembered the Katunayake Miraculous Shrine of Blessed Virgin Mary, where I went before I left Sri Lanka. Immediately I rang my friend and informed him about this injustice which I was facing, and my disappointment about the situation, and inquired about the Katunayake Shrine. He also agreed with my comments, and told me to get ready to go to Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine, starting from the following Saturday onwards. I totally agreed with his advice and decided to act, accordingly.
Even though I am a Buddhist, along with my friend, I began to attend the Holy Mass which is held every Saturday at 4.00 pm, at Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine. I wrote the injustice which I have to face and my disappointment about the situation which I am facing at my office, in a letter, and handed over it to the Holy Apostolic Father. Likewise, every Saturday, I handed over my request letters to the Holy Apostolic Father, and in the 6th week, I handed over my 6th letter to him. On that day, when I was handing over my request letter, as usual the Holy Apostolic Father, accepted my letter, and while he was accepting the letter he slowly tapped on my cheeks. Like the other days, I knelt before him and kissed his feet and presented one of his photos to him, as a religious article, and got it blessed by him.
On the following Monday, when I went for work as usual, the 1st thing I did was to keep the photo of the Holy Apostolic Father, which I brought it from Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine, devotedly, under the glass of my table.
On that day, around 10.00 am, I received a message from my director asking me to come to his office. Even though the director wanted me in his office, I was feeling little bit of afraid to go to his office, but when I went to his office he welcomed me with a smiling face. After 7 months, he was inquiring about my course which I followed one year ago, and about the life I spent in Singapore, in a friendly way. He also ordered some refreshments and while he was having refreshments with me, he was talking to me in a friendly way. I was highly surprised and at once I remembered the Katunayake Shrine, and the Holy Apostolic Father.
The director was talking to me for few moments, and while he was talking, he gave me the promotion letter, and also apologized to me for the delay in giving it. He had also increased my salary, more than what I was expected.
When I came back to my office, I worshipped the photo of the Katunayake Holy Apostolic Father. After that, I gave a call to my friend and told him what happened little while ago. Then he told me, “That is what I told you. Lots of Miracles are taking place at Katunayake Shrine. When you go there on next Saturday, handover your 7th letter to the Holy Apostolic Father, and don’t forget to mention this new development. My Dear Friend, you have to be lucky to obtain Katunayake Holy Apostolic Father’s Blessing. You had that luck. Therefore, you received his Blessing. More than you, I am very happy about it. If you handover your request letters to the Holy Apostolic Father, in faith, you will not be left, unanswered”.
Yes, what my friend said was true. A person has to be fortunate to obtain the Blessing of the Holy Apostolic Father, His Holiness Rohan Lalith Aponso of Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine. Even though I am a Buddhist, I was fortunate to receive his Blessing.
Dileep De Silva
Battaramulla (Sri Lanka)
