Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith of Colombo, Sri Lanka, has declared 2026 as the Year of Parish Renewal through a pastoral letter calling for a renewed vision of parish life rooted in communion and participation.
Drawing inspiration from the Scripture passage, “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5), the initiative seeks to revitalize parishes and make the Church’s vision of communion a lived and practical reality.
The Year of Parish Renewal will be officially inaugurated on January 31 at 6:00 p.m. with a solemn Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Archbishop at St. Lucia’s Cathedral, Kotahena, Colombo. On Sunday, February 1, the declaration will be proclaimed at both parish and diocesan levels during the principal Eucharistic celebrations.
The official logo for the Year of Parish Renewal, designed by Rev. Fr. Nilantha Edirivikrama, symbolizes themes of new birth, covenant, communion, and the Holy Mother Church.
In his pastoral letter, Cardinal Ranjith outlined 20 concrete steps to be undertaken throughout the year. These include ensuring that every parish conducts a comprehensive census, organizing structured family visitation programs, and rescheduling parish novenas—traditionally held in the evenings—to the mornings. This adjustment, he noted, would allow priests more time for pastoral ministry, while enabling lay leaders to take greater responsibility in leading evening novenas.
Emphasizing that family visitation is a canonical obligation under the Code of Canon Law (Can. 529 §1), the Archbishop called on parish priests and regional vicars to actively fulfill this duty.
The pastoral letter also provides detailed guidelines for the establishment and renewal of Parish Pastoral Councils, clarifying their proper role. The Archbishop stressed that these councils are not financial committees or festival-organizing bodies, but instruments for fostering the spiritual and social growth of the faithful. Their mission includes supporting struggling Catholic families, promoting participatory liturgical celebrations, strengthening Christian households, engaging in charitable and social outreach, and responding thoughtfully to political decisions that affect the faith and lives of the people.
At the deanery level, Deanery Pastoral Councils will likewise be re-established, with leaders receiving formation through the Archdiocesan Pastoral Coordination Office and the Institute for Pastoral Leadership Training. A monthly program schedule has also been proposed to ensure sustained and coordinated pastoral activities throughout 2026.
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