It is with deep joy and gratitude that I stand here today to speak to you. I am indeed delighted to be here as you express your warm sentiments of joy and felicitation on my recent appointments which your spokesman spelt out. I thank you for your words of appreciation, your good wishes and especially for your prayers. I am also very thankful to you for your generous token of affection.

Above all, I must tell you that I am happy to be here to meet each one of you, with whom I have been associated in an attempt to bring meaning and leadership in a very important field of human activity in this country – the field of profession and business. I say so because I know the importance of the position you hold in society, and the role you could play in the betterment, not only of the economic sphere but also of the moral and spiritual aspects of business and the other professions you represent.  I am aware of the spirit of initiative, ingenuity and courage which you attest to in your professional activity and I know you have joined this association in order to enable Christian thought, and points of view, to penetrate still further into the circles in which you operate. You have desired to come together to reaffirm your Christian convictions and to find, through contact with men and women sharing the same ideals, the most suitable means for resolving such questions as are posed by the present state of social and economic affairs, not only in this country but also around the world.

I am very happy that this Association has been initiated here in Sri Lanka. And I would fail in my duty if I do not thank Fr. Neil Dias Karunaratne C.SS.R for this initiative. Motivated by what he has seen in other parts of the world he has brought us the concept of this Association and he has always reminded us that the Association is to “Open doors to the Redeemer.”

Yes, Ladies and Gentleman, this is indeed the time when we have to open the doors to the Redeemer.” As you well know in the field of business there is only one factor that matters today, and that is monetary gain. In fact this is true of almost all professions today including some of the professions which we, even in the recent past, thought were the nobler; such as the teaching profession and the medical. In the world of business the word today is globalization. And it seems to be such a magic word that everything, every aspect of human life including the family is welded under its whirling influence.

But it is imperative that the Christian community, especially those who hold leadership in the field of economy and the professions, stand up to the more noble principles that they have inherited and imbibed through your faith and practice. Within the field of your business interests you have to see that you help to inject man into society, and the economy. This is the matter of primary importance from which all reforms would begin. Greater harmony and stability would derive inspiration from that. In other words, you as Catholic business persons and professionals,  have to see how each member of the social body could be granted the opportunity to live fully as a man, to have at his disposal the means of assuring himself – through an equitable subsistence – access to culture, to play a role in proportion to his ability and devotion in the functioning and organization of society, and to participate, finally, in the decisions upon which his political, economic and social fate are dependent. Christians can more easily than others, perceive and put into practice concrete solutions to this serious problem of making this society more humane.

The distribution of property, the status of employees, personal interest and responsibility in the economy, cooperation between the employer and employee are matters that could be your concern. You have the clear guidance of your Christian ethics in this regard to guide you in this endeavor.

I am happy that your Association is now come of age. Even though some of you may not know the inner workings of the Association and may have been involved in its activities only on the fringe, I am happy to confess that so much has been achieved during this short time. You would have got a glimpse of it from the brief report that was presented a while ago. I wish to congratulate the outgoing President Joel Selvanayagam for his dedicated work with a small team of dedicated helpers. Today as the Association comes up in age and wisdom I would like to mention that it has also to improve and enlarge its scope to embrace what I mentioned above. While the Association has been involved in several projects of great significance, especially in education and social welfare, and has also from time to time had programs for the spiritual welfare of the membership, it has now to expand and widen its scope.

In the first place, it has to be livelier in building up the brotherhood of the membership. They say that the birds of the same feather get together. Naturally, those who come here and join in membership would look forward to returns – because your bend in business would instinctively make you rake for returns. Hence, those who join the Association would be looking forward to some advantage. And this would be best possible only if there is a brotherhood built so that you would come to know each other more closely and intimately. The Association would provide you an excellent opportunity for this, not only beneficial locally but also internationally; because of the links you could establish with your counterparts in other countries. An exchange of information in your respective fields of business and introduction to comrades both local and foreign sharing your interests would be an immense source of benefit for you. I trust with the new President Mr. Lakshman Fernando you will look into this aspect in the near future.

There is also the role you have to play in our society and country. There are several issues of politics and statecraft that come within the scope of your concern because these are necessarily related to your fields of profession and business. But we often leave these neglected and do not raise our voice in concern. The Peace Issue for instance is a matter that affects directly your field of economics and business. In such matters it is incumbent upon you to express your views and canvass people to go in the right direction. Very often, the greater crime is not the crime of the criminal but the silence of the saint. We see this with our people. The extremists are few but they are vociferous. The majority of the good willed people remain silent. I believe this is also a matter to which your Association has to address its mind.

Certainly, not least of all is the fact that you have to promote the interests of your Church in the various fields of her activity. You have a pool of knowledge and experience in your respective fields. We the Bishops welcome you to share that knowledge with us. Your experience could help us to streamline some aspects of our own administration with new insights and techniques. Your contribution at the Pope’s Visit in January 1966 was something remarkable. Our organization here in Sri Lanka of that visit, was considered the best in that Papal journey of January 1996. Even today I wish to congratulate the team of people led by your membership who did credit to Sri Lanka. The Joseph Vaz Trust is a result of that remarkable endeavor.

There is a lot more possible that would benefit both yourselves, your professions, the Church and our country. God has given us what we are and what we have; and therefore it is the Christian ideal that should inspire us. While assuring progress in business and material goods and while assuring the improvement of economic conditions let us not neglect our religious values. Therefore be increasingly sensitive to the presence and the call of Christ to all of us, especially the more privileged as we are, and let us strive to “Open the doors to the Redeemer.”