Diocesan News
On Sunday, September 27, 2026, Simon Zakari and I were admitted to candidacy for Holy Orders during the 5.00pm Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Ballarat, celebrated by Bishop Mark Freeman. It was a joyful and deeply meaningful occasion in our journey towards the diaconate and priesthood. For us, becoming candidates means offering a renewed and public “YES” to God’s call. Through this rite, the Church recognises our commitment and welcomes us to continue preparing for ordained ministry. This brings both encouragement and responsibility: To deepen our prayer, grow through formation and allow Christ to shape our hearts for service.
In his homily, Bishop Mark reminded us that who we are as disciples in communion with Jesus, matters more than any ministry we may one day hold. He encouraged us to live our vocation through faith, hope and love, reminding us that discipleship is something we must continue to grow in throughout our lives. His words, “Know yourselves as loved by Christ and love Christ with all your hearts. And love us, the People of God in this place,” expressed beautifully the heart of our calling.
We sincerely thank Bishop Mark for admitting us to candidacy and for his guidance and encouragement. We also offer our heartfelt thanks to Bishop Emeritus Paul Bird, who welcomed us into the Diocese of Ballarat. His presence at this celebration meant a great deal to us, reminding us of the kindness and support with which our journey in the diocese began. A special word of thanks goes to Fr Ed Moloney, who has accompanied us from the beginning of our priestly vocation journey. His care, friendship and encouragement have been a blessing and we will always remain grateful for the part he continues to play in our lives and formation.
We are grateful to our Corpus Christi Seminary Rector Dr Cameron Forbes and Vice-Rector Fr Brian Nichols, and to all the priests from the Diocese of Ballarat and the Archdiocese of Melbourne who joined us for this occasion. We also thank our fellow seminarians, nuns, friends and parish communities throughout the diocese. Your presence, prayers and support made the celebration especially memorable. T o those who joined us from afar, thank you for sharing our joy.
As we continue our priestly formation, we carry this encouragement with grateful hearts. Please keep us in your prayers, that our “YES” to God may deepen each day and that we may grow into faithful and loving servants of his people.
Channa Thilakarathna
