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Cardinal Exit Looms: Colombo Church Faces Major Power Shift -
A quiet but powerful transition is unfolding inside Sri Lanka’s Catholic Church, with leadership questions, Vatican signals, and succession battles now coming into sharp focus. A significant leadership shift appears to be taking shape within Sri Lanka’s Catholic Church, as multiple senior sources indicate that Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith could step down as Archbishop of Colombo before the end of the year. The development, reportedly backed by insights from Vatican circles and confirmed by church-linked sources in Colombo under anonymity, comes amid intensifying speculation over succession planning, governance concerns, and internal Church dynamics. Follow The Morning Telegraph WhatsApp Channel Get breaking updates, instant alerts, and exclusives. Join Now Cardinal Ranjith, who has served as the 9th Archbishop of Colombo since 2009, remains one of the most influential religious figures in Sri Lanka. Born on November 15, 1947, in Polgahawela, he built a long and distinguished ecclesiastical career. His early education was at Roman Catholic Boys’ School and De La Salle College in Mutwal, before he entered St. Aloysius Seminary in Borella and later pursued higher studies at the National Seminary in Ampitiya, Kandy. Sources familiar with ongoing developments suggest growing unease within certain Vatican circles regarding both the Archbishop’s conduct and the broader direction of Church leadership in Colombo. However, those close to Cardinal Ranjith maintain that he has expressed a personal willingness to step down upon reaching his 79th birthday later this year, signaling that any transition may ultimately be voluntary rather than enforced. Under established Church norms, bishops are generally expected to submit their resignation at the age of 75, although extensions are frequently granted. As a Cardinal, Ranjith retains voting rights in a papal conclave until the age of 80, a milestone he will reach in November 2027, preserving his relevance within global Church decision-making processes. Throughout his tenure, Cardinal Ranjith has remained a vocal and influential figure, especially in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka, which claimed nearly 300 lives. He consistently called for justice for the victims and maintained that deeper conspiracies may have been at play. His strong public stance placed him at the center of both political and social discourse, earning him significant support as well as criticism. While many within the Catholic...
The Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal ...
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Exclusive: Colombo's Cardinal Set to Step Down by Year-End
A major leadership transition may be underway in Sri Lanka's Catholic Church, as senior sources indicate that Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith could be replaced as ...
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19 hours ago ... ... Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo on the Easter Sunday Bomb Attack in Sri Lanka. Your Excellency, dear Ladies and Gentlemen, the Easter Sunday ...
