Kithu Dana PubuduwaApostolate Of Renewal

Welcome!

It is with joy that we wish to share with you what the Holy Spirit has done in the lives of hundreds and thousands of people in Sri Lanka.

You will encounter persons young and old sharing experiences of the Invisible Reality that people down the ages have called God. They will share with you, what they have begun to see with what one may call the “Inner Eye”. The inner eye once touched by the Holy Spirit of God open their eyes to vistas of sheer Power and Beauty.

They would behold a piece of bread and exclaim: “This is the body of Jesus Christ”. They would feel someone touching their heads or make a sign on their foreheads and they would say the hand of Jesus touched them; they would experience marital love as a husband and wife and they would tell you that it was an experience of the love of the Triune God. They would speak of the Eternal Father who loves His Son and the Son who reciprocates. They would recognize the Holy Spirit as the relationship of love between them.

The Pubuduwa began in 1971. We recall with love, gratitude and thanksgiving the support received by His Eminence Cardinal Thomas Cooray. The Pubuduwa was not started or founded by anybody. It’s something that happened. This happening still on, has spelt the transformation of a multitude of specifically the Catholics in Sri Lanka. It continues to lead very ordinary people involved in just ordinary mundane temporal activity to touch the deeper reaches of Contemplative prayer even though not hemmed in within four walls.

The Pubuduwa has been instrumental in making the Bible and the Seven Sacraments come alive in their lives. Doctrinal Faith has become vibrant, trusting, expectant Faith, and more, every visible reality, every human event, every human action is seen as carrying a sacramental value in that the created, the temporal, the ordinary is no longer eschewed as preventive or stifling but rather as promotive of a deepening experience of God.

The Pubuduwa is a partner with others in the ongoing renewal of the Catholic Church. It enjoys with the Catholic Church a “Living Tradition” of what the Holy Spirit has taught her for the last 2000 years, since the New Testament was written. It takes a stance of obedience to the Teaching Authority of the Catholic Church lest it get lost in private interpretations of Scripture and mislead those who are called. The Pubuduwa communities are the Church – the people of God, witnessing to a life that purposes to be a challenge to the value system of a society growing increasingly consumerist, starkly individualist and devoid of meaning at any depth.

It caters to the spiritual needs of the Sri Lankan expatriates living abroad, especially the domestic aides and other workers in the middle-east.

As a renewal movement in Sri Lanka, its thrust is on the Kingdom of God (Love) proclaimed, explained and witnessed by Jesus. Therefore the Pubuduwa considers it an obligation and a matter of commitment to promote the cultural values that have been Sri Lanka’s heritage of more than 2500 years of recorded history fed by the great religions of the world, predominantly Buddhism.

This web-site expects to bring you a loving Word that comes in and through the lives of people. We call upon you to click in as opportunity offers to drink from the waters of life. We call upon The Lord to bless you and keep you in His Loving Care. May the Eternal Father, who shares the Holy Spirit with all of us, lead you into all Truth, through Jesus the Word made flesh. May the Lord be with you today, now and forever.

Amen

Rev. Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne

Birth of a Prophet

Rev. Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne was born on the 5th of May 1932 and is the eldest in a family of 8 children. He had his early studies at St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa. He did his clerical studies at St. Aloysius Junior Seminary and National Seminary, Ampitiya. His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Cooray ordained him on the 2nd day of February 1957. His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Cooray appointed Fr. Oscar to be in charge of the above mentioned “Youth Movement”. The youth were guided and directed to face day to day incidents in a Christian way. Many priests gave him encouragement and support while a few did not. The support and the involvement of the laymen and women were in a very satisfactory level. There were a few full-timers who were supported financially by the Cardinal.

The Radical Young Priest Got Dispersed

This was a time when the whole Sri Lankan society was in a state of turmoil, majority of the youth did not have jobs. The youth became restless and as a result a leftist extremist revolutionary group of youth came into existence. Father Oscar was a person who always sympathized with the poor and the oppressed but he did not like the violent actions of the revolutionary group. During the uprising this youth movement formed by Fr. Oscar got dispersed. He was disturbed and his efforts at the Apostolate were crumbling. The youth movement was in tatters. He became a broken man. He experienced a deep sense of vacuity and emptiness. It was at this stage that His Eminence Cardinal Cooray put him on a spiritual pilgrimage via the Focolare Movement in Rome. During the summer vacation he got an opportunity to visit socialist countries like Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, East Germany. The so called “new society” was not seen there. His spiritual Director Rev. Fr. Valerian Gaudet O. M. I. sensing his discomfiture in Rome got him to continue his pilgrimage with a Catholic family in England. This visit and the few days he spent with Bob Balkam was a memorable one in his life. The faith of this man, his wife and children was extraordinary.

Mr. and Mrs. Bob invited Fr. Oscar for strange religious meeting

One day Bob invited him for a prayer meeting and he accepted it. As Fr. Oscar recalls in his own words “It was a strange religious meeting. I had never seen the like of it before. It was a four hour session of prayer by very ordinary people. It was besides a very sober quiet session of singing, praising and worship of the Lord devoid of the formalism that I was accustomed to. Spontaneity was its hall-mark. I saw how they imposed hands and prayed for one another. I made a request for prayer. Three stout gentlemen were around me. It was a long, free spontaneous prayer with their hands on my head and shoulders. They prayed in English. Before long I could hear them mumbling strange sounds (later I learnt that they were praying in tongues). I was asked by one of them “Fr. Oscar, is there anything special that you want us to pray for?”. “Nothing very special I rejoined, except that you call on the Lord to help me to be a good priest, that he makes good use of me for His work. They prayed, they did it soulfully and enthusiastically. Now I know that God had touched me in a special way on that day.”

Rev. Fr. Oscar Questioned for Five Hours

Back in Sri Lanka in 1971 in the beginning of June Father Oscar learnt that he was a marked man, searched for by the police as a supporter of the famous youth insurrection of April 1971. The Criminal Investigation Department started questioning him. The police officers would have been amazed at the power he wielded that day. As Father says the secret lay in the word of the scriptures “I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.” (Luke 21/15). It was with these words that he walked into their room. He experienced the victorious power of the Risen Lord. He was released after five hours of non-stop questioning.

Who We Are

A Prayer movement

Pubuduwa, a community led by the Holy Spirit, proclaiming that the Lord Jesus to be their Lord and master, are born with a heritage for a prayerful and praise-filled life. They give priority to prayer in order to seek the will of God and to be true followers of Jesus Christ who also gave a foremost place to prayer in His life. Therefore, Pubuduwa is a prayer movement.

A Marian movement

Through her own free will, the blessed Mother emptied herself in the presence of the Lord to fulfill His will. Her emptying experience was the result of the filling with the Holy Spirit. She was the one who completely emptied herself from her own rights, from having a good name, future hopes and aspirations. Gazing at her emptying experience is the first experience of the Pubuduwa journey. Then thirsting to posses or make one's own this same experience is the next step in the Pubudu journey. Hence, Pubuduwa is a movement of the Blessed Mother.

A movement in the Holy Spirit

Kithu Dana Pubuduwa started in 1971 by the direction of the Holy Spirit. Rev. Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne became the instrument of the Holy Spirit for this purpose. Pubudwa enjoys the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It has journeyed for 36 years in Sri Lanka focusing towards the leading of the Holy Spirit. Constant awareness of the Holy Spirit is the special feature of the Pubuduwa community. Therefore, Pubuduwa is a movement in the Holy Spirit.

An Apostolic and a Contemplative movement

It is not an ordinary a prayer movement, but a Movement called to go deep into prayer even to a state of contemplative prayer. It is a deep desire to experience at least in small measure the prayer life of our Lord Jesus. Yet Pubuduwa defines their prayer life in broad terms. It extends it's life of prayer to continue the work of the Holy apostles in building and spreading the kingdom of God, in villages, country, family, and in the environment, that they live in. (Acts 1:8, 2:42-47) Both these features, prayer and action are manifest in the life of the Pubuduwa community. Therefore, it is simultaneously a prayer movement and an apostolic movement.

A Journey - a Way of Life

Sharing in Community

Those who have been called by God have received a special grace (a charisma) (Ephesians 4:7). Lord has called us as a people and as a community. The greatest evidence for this is the Charisma we have received. There are four features in it. Let us now discuss them. a)What is the Pubudu Charisma ? How often do you practically experience the four basic gifts of the Charisma in your daily life? b)Let us look at our journey with praise to the Lord for bringing us thus far since our first ever, public rally of the Holy Spirit in 1976. The themes we received annually in our journey are our main halting places. They are the milestones. When we look at all, we could see how the Lord has brought Pubuduwa on journey to be in His presence.

We know Pubuduwa is a movement of the Holy Spirit. Awakening to the Holy Spirit is a special experience of the Pubuduwa community. It is the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that takes through the four steps in the Pubudu Charisma.

1. Emptying experience of the Blessed Mother
2. Gaze at the sonship of Lord Jesus
3. Experience our own divine sonship

It is the Holy Spirit who guides and accompanies us through the above experiences and takes us to the presence of the Father. As we are called to a contemplative prayer life, we constantly surrender to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, to be in the presence of God the Father. We are guided to be in the bosom of God the Father.

Constant Awareness

In 1996 with the challenge to let go, the Pubudu community received a special grace to identify the gift we have received. That is the gift of "Awareness".. Awareness of and to the Holy Spirit has now become second nature to us. Awakening to the Holy Spirit is not merely a mental or an act of the intellect. Rather it is an experience. Therefore, awareness of the Holy Spirit is closely connected with an action. The action may manifest itself or it may be an internal occurrence.

Renewed Lives

By now around 20,000 people participate in our weekly prayer meetings in various parts of the country and around another 20,000 participate not on a regular basis. Those who take part in our initiation seminar of eight sessions and the Repentant and Commitment sessions become members of the Pubuduwa. The converts to the Lord went about testifying to what the Lord had done and was doing in their lives.

• the giving up of a life of sin or vicious habits.
• the healed relationships with people.
• the commitment to the cause of social justice and the change of sinful structures.
• the adoption of a life of simplicity in line with the traditional and cultural values of our country.
• the need for an ecumenical thrust with specially the majority Buddhists.
• the renewed awareness of the journey of Faith, Hope and Love in God as Father and Mother.
• the new understanding of the Bible and the Liturgy.
• above all the new lifestyle that has expressed itself in basic ecclesial communities which purport to be models and power centres in parish life.

Kithu Dana Pubuduwa

• Kithu Dana Pubuduwa is not a society or an organization. It is a way of life.
• A people called to enter a journey in the spirit by making Jesus their Lord and Master.
• A community with a thirst to be led by the Holy Spirit and are engaged in a journey by fixing their gaze on Jesus.
• Kithu Dana Pubuduwa is a Lay Apostolate, and an Apostolate of Renewal in the Holy Spirit in the Catholic Church. It is a result of the renewal expected by Vatican II. It had its origin in Sri Lanka in 1971 and now has spread to a few other countries.
• Pubuduwa is a Prayer Movement, a Marian Movement, and at the same time a Lay Apostolate and a deep contemplative prayer movement.
• “Those that are led by the Holy Spirit are called sons of God.”
• (“Archdiocese of Colombo Lay Apostolic Movement - 2002” by Rev. Fr. Gregory Jayantha – Page 323)

Ministries And Services

The following ministries and services have their service teams which meet regularly to plan and coordinate their activities.

• Music Ministry
• Cultural/Dance Troupe
• Intercessory Prayer Ministry
• Teaching Ministry
• “Prabodaya” (Political, Economic, Cultural Dimensions + Inter-Religious Dialogue In Relation To The Reign Of God).
• Evangelization And Out Reach To Remote Areas.
• Surakshana Sevave (Spiritual Direction/Counseling)
• Publications
• Pubudu Press
• Audio-Visual

Administrative Structure

• Spiritual Director
  Rev Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne.
• Pubudu Jathika Divasi Ekathuwa (Pubudu National Prophetic Assembly)
  • Mrs. Ranjana Kaviratne
  • Dr. Delryne Wanigarathne
  • Subandhi Bro. Noel Lalith
  • Subandhi Bro. Upul Nishantha
  • Subandhi Bro. Terrance Mendis

  The governing authority of the new Pubuduwa are five persons named the Divasi Ekathuwa. The word prophetic spells out their basic function i.e. to speak the “discerned Word of God” in all matters pertaining to the spirituality, discipline and administration of this “association of the faithful.” Their Word would of necessity not go counter to the spirit of the Holy Scriptures, the living Tradition of the Church and subject to the magisterium of the church. No major decision is taken, no, not even minor ones that would go against the deep spirit of unity that must exist between them.

• Jathika Sahayake Ekathuwa (National Support Team) And Uppedeshake Mandalaya (The Advisory Committee)
• Supalana Ekathuwa (National Administration Team)
• Pubudu Sangika ( Regional Community)
• Pubudu Sanga (Grass Root Community)
• Prasansa Gama (Praise Village)
• Kuda Sanga (Small Community – Groups Of Five)

Pubuduwa Communities

Kithu Dana Pubuduwa Communities are often made up of a few Prayer Groups that are geographically closer to each other. The leaders of these groups are ordinary laymen and women. There are also special communities as stated below:

1. SUBANDHI

In the manner of a “Secular Institute of Consecrated Virgins” - men and women they are one community committed to live and be a witness to the spirituality a charism of The Pubuduwa in its entirety and in depth. Like any other community of the Pubuduwa, they work within their own organizational structure, subject however to the

directorship of the Divasi Ekathuwa. Over and above their commitment to the Spirituality of The Pubuduwa, they are called upon to live a life of union with the Blessed Mother and the disciples at the foot of the Cross. Their’s is a community that is called upon to live at the foot of the Cross receptive to the outpouring of the Spirit here at - “And bowing His head He gave up His Spirit.” (John 19/30). They experience the purification in the precious blood of the Lord that flows from His Sacred Body. While they pay heed to all the words of Jesus from the Cross, they would pay special attention to Jesus’ forgiving Spirit – “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Lk. 23/34). The words “My God, My God, Why has thou abandoned me” (Mth. 27/46) is etched on their hearts, which they consider is their calling to carry as they “go out” (Mk. 16/15) to return to the community at the pierced feet of Jesus. As very special characteristics of their life with the community at the Cross, they have got to be a witness to a life of simplicity (Lk. 9/58, 10/4) Alpeichatawaya to a virginal life of being wedded to Jesus and His church; Kanyabhawaya (Rev. 14/4) and to a life surrendered to the Abba Avanathabhavaya. (Lk. 23/46)

To mean unreserved commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in body, mind and spirit.

Further as an earnest of the commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and “The Kingdom” to live the principle - “needs not wants.”

To accord at peak-level with the Pubudu way of life at any given moment of time and place.

2. NIHANDA SANGAYA

A community in its infancy, dedicated to contemplative prayer before our Eucharistic Lord.

3. SABANDHI

The members can be married widowed, young or old. They are bonded together by a promise of uncompromising fidelity to the Pubudu Way of Life; Avanathabhawaya (wjk;Ndjh) the pursuance of a simple life style Alpeichatawaya (w,afmapsP;djh), and a chaste life that behoves the marital state of a Catholic Kanyabhawaya (lkHdNdjh). They with the SUBANDHI are considered to occupy the top-most rung of the Pubuduwa membership. It denotes on them to be of help to the Divasi Ekathuwa in the final discernment making in all matters pertaining to the Pubudu Way of Life, which embrace the charism, interpretation of the said Charism, traditions, services, ministries and activities.

4. SURANDHI

The Surandhi is a Sub-community of women, who by option or circumstances stay unmarried. They come together for sharing, for mutual support for personal well­being, ministry and growth in the charism. In the event of marriage, one ceases to be a Surandhi.

5. THE SUMADHI

A sub-community of women specifically meant to be mutually supportive of WIDOWS. The members meet regularly for sharing of life-experiences and growth in their prayer-life. “Intercession” for the Pubuduwa and other matters in a ministry very special and dear to them.

6. THE VIRODHAYA

A community residential and non has begun to happen among the youth, as a response to the challenge of ‘Sonship’. i) They subscribe to a radical life-style eschewing the false values of a society fast going consumerist way ward. ii) A return to the “land” and residential community living, for agricultural produce and sale. The Spirit seems to lead them to pool their resources for “common-living”, even as families: as if to speak of “kingdom economics” (Acts 2/42-47).

Special Pubudu Teachings

Eight initiation talks and the Repentant and Commitment sessions.

Bible Retreat – Love of God as revealed in the Bible.

Retreat on Our Blessed Mother and the Sacraments.

Lenten Retreat

Christmas Seminar

Teaching on Self discovery (Enneagram)

Other than the above special retreats and seminars, various teachings which are practical and spiritual are given considering the circumstances and the times.