Sacred Heart Church – Aninkanda

The history of the Sacred Heart Church at Anningkanda goes back to the 18th century. Rev. Fr. Peter Boulic OMI during his Pastoral visit in 1887 August 15th and 16th had travelled from Ratnapura to Matara and found some Catholics at Anningkanda. There was also small Church (a hut) near the Estate Manager’s residence and Fr. Peter Boulic had celebrated Mass with the people and ministered to them.

The present day Church was built in 1965 during the parochial ministry of Rev. Fr. Pio chamba S.J, the parish priest of Deniyaya. Since then it was under the parish of Deniyay as a sub-station. The Church was extended and the new sanctuary was built during the parochial ministry of Rev. Fr. Michel Rajendran.

At the invitation of the Bishop of Galle, Rt. Rev. Dr. Raymond Kingsly Wickramasinghe, Sisters of Franciscan Missionaries of Mary started their vibrant mission in the Sacristy of the Church in 2013. Later in 2014 the Convent was built for the Sisters of Franciscan Missionaries of Mary.

There was a presence of Oblate Fathers in the Diocese of Galle from 2015, to serve as the parish priest at Hulandawa and an assistant to serve at Deniyaya. It was during this time, the Anningkanda community became stronger and uplifted.

Once again the Church was renovated and the 50th Jubilee was celebrated during the parochial ministry of Rev. Fr. Bede De Silva in 2015. In 2017 December 24th, Anningkanda parish was erected as a Quasi-Parish by the Bishop of Galle, Rt. Rev. Dr. Raymond Kingsly Wickramasinghe, and handed over to the Congregation of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate of the Jaffna Province. Thereby Rev. Fr. Antony Jesudasan OMI who was assistant to Deniyaya parish and the Priest in-charge of ‘CoDeSeP’ took charge the Quasi-Parish of Anningkanda, and took residence at Handford (where, later an Oblate Community was established).

The Catholics from Panilkanda (about 25 families) in the diocese of Ratnapura, were also attached to the Quasi-Parish of Anningkanda by signing of an agreement of both the Bishops of Ratnapura and Galle. This came into effect on 24th December, 2017.

The parish received a letter dated 27th, April 2018 from Registrar General Department stating that the Church is registered in 1965.11.12 under the No: 947 in Government Gazette published in 1983, December 09th (No: 275-1983).

In 2018 February 17th, the first government registered ‘Sacramental marriage’ was solemnized in the Church (after the declaration as Quasi-Parish) by Rev. Fr. Jesuthasan OMI. The couples were: Supramaniam Christopher and Prakalathan Saraniya from Panilkanda. In 2018 February 24th, Rev. Fr. Peter Rajanayagam OMI, joined the mission as a temporary member to the newly formed community and took in-charge of the parish. He was officially appointed as Acting Parish Priest on 24th June 2018 by the Bishop of Galle, Rt. Rev. Dr. Raymond Kingsly Wickramasinghe. In 2018, June 24th, on the feast day of Sacred Heart Church, the Quasi-Parish of Anningkanda was declared and erected as the Parish of Anningkanda in the District of Matara, in the Diocese of Galle by the Bishop of Galle, Rt. Rev. Dr. Raymond Kingsly Wickramasinghe.