St. Mary’s Sunday School (Gov. Reg. No. CA/colombo/1/49/C I/S I)

The history proper of the organized Daham Pasala as such in the parish had its beginning during Rev. Fr. Cyril Perera’s period of office as the Parish Priest (1978 – 1985). Fr. Cyril was the diocesan Director of the Catechetical Apostolate under Bishop Nicholas Marcus Fernando the Archbishop of Colombo at the time. In the initial stages of St. Mary’s Sunday School nearly 800 students from the villages had participated according to history records. During the time of Rev. Fr. Jude Lakshman in 2006 about 575 student entrants had been recorded. Sadly, only ¼ of the original amount recorded in the 1980s number of students attend Daham Pasala at present. It is a dramatic collapse and a deterioration of faith caused by the intensifying conflicts and divisions between the secular minded parents and the archaic elders in the parish that keeps contributing to this situation seen in the present day community. In the year 2021 with the onslaught of the COVID – 19 pandemic a little above 200 students attended St. Mary’s Daham Pasala from the Parish of Katukurunda.

  • The Teaching Staff of Catechists in St. Mary’s Daham Pasala for the year 2021
No. Name Class Position Ministry & Animation
01 Ravindi Lakmini Nursery Head Ministry of Sacred Music
02 Anne Madushani Nursery Assistant Holy Childhood Society Animator
03 Nimeshika Fernando Grade 1 Head Ministry of Arrangements
04 Dewmini Kaluwella Grade 1 Assistant Young Catholic Students Movement Animator
05 Kushani Fernando Grade 1 Assistant Ministry of Serving (Co-Sacristans)
06 Shamini Seuwandi Grade 2 Head Holy Childhood Society Animator
07 Ravisha Fernando Grade 2 Assistant Ministry of Cleanliness
08 Swarna Wijeratne Grade 3 Head Ministry of Cleanliness
09 Dewuni Fernando Grade 3 Assistant Assistant to the Secretory
10 Shermila Cooray Grade 4 Head First Holy Communion Preparation
11 Dilini Prabodha Grade 4 Assistant First Holy Communion Preparation
12 Sureni Fernando Grade 5 Head Ministry of Arrangements
13 Prasadini Fernando Grade 5 Assistant Ministry of Serving (Altar Servers)
14 Ramodya Silva Grade 6 Head Secretory and Discipline
15 Charuka Peiris Grade 6 Assistant Yong Catholic Students Movement Animator
16 Samitha Fernando Grade 7 Head Ministry of Welcoming and Ushering
17 Mahesh Peiris Grade 7 Assistant Ministry of Health and Security
18 Krishanthi Fernando Grade 8 Head Ministry of Proclamation of the Word
19 Milinda Fernando Grade 8 Assistant Ministry of Collection and Distribution
20 Deepthika Dias Grade 9 Head Confirmation Preparation
21 Sherali Bandara Grade 9 Assistant Deputy Principal and Discipline
22 Keerthi Fernando Grade 10 Head Prefects Union-in-charge & Discipline
23 Pramodika Aponsu Grade 10 Assistant Brass Band-in-charge
24 Nirmala Dalpathadu Grade 11 Head Confirmation Preparation
25 Asika Fonseka Grade 11 Assistant Ministry of Prayer and Announcements
26 Tyrrell De Mel A/L Head Ministry of Operations & Maintenance
  • The Heraldry of St. Mary’s Daham Pasala, Katukurunda

    • Conserva in corde omnia verba domini

This motto was introduced in the year 2020: “Treasure in your Heart every Word of God”. The Gospels testify to the fact that Mary the Mother of God, treasured everything in her heart and contemplated (Luke 2:19). The Word (logos) of God is the source of all being and all of wisdom. The Word that dwelt among us was made flesh in the servant of the Word Blessed Virgin Mary who constantly meditated upon the Word. All Christian Children in her example should strive to make the Word of God a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their path.

  • Yovun Daham Pasala for the Advance Level Students

This level of the Daham Pasala was started in the year 2019 to save and hold the youth who are fast drifting away from Church Worship and its social activities because of Sunday tuition classes in view of Advance Level school education. Less than 10% of Ordinary Level students remain in the Church after grade 11 Daham Pasala, and more than 90% falls into a dangerous subculture of giving up on Holy Mass attendance and taking up responsibilities in the Church communities. Because of this loss of youth, there are hardly any young adult leaders active in the present-day Church community.

The modus operandi of this level of catechism is not syllabus-oriented lectures. These students were given opportunities to listen to veterans of various social fields who came twice a month on Sundays to give them talks during the Daham Pasala times, and they were given chances to organize projects of practical nature which gave them opportunities to discover their talents and skills and to use them to foster their values and religious faith with social commitment. This was done in view of shaping these youngsters into a team of youth motivated by Christian Action in the Parish with leadership qualities for the future, who can and are willing to work together for the benefit of the Parish and the Church.

Coordinators of the Advance Level Daham Pasal Program:

  • Tyrrell Manohara De Mel
  • Sanjaya Bandara
  • Lourdes Sampath and Nilani Kumuduni Manthrinayaka