The Knights of Columbus promises $100,000 to the reconstruction effort to aid “our ur Christian brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka during this time of trial.”The Sri Lankan government promised to rebuild St. Anthony’s Church after it was badly damaged by the Easter Sunday terrorist bombing. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks that left 321 dead and hundreds injured.
Art News reported that Sri Lankan culture minister Sajith Premadasa will begin rebuilding the Colombo church under the supervision of Cardinal Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo.
According to the report, crowdfunding campaigns have so far had limited success:
“Weʼre [trying to raise] £600,000 to support the victims of the Sri Lanka terror attacks and restoration of the churches involved. Notre Dame raised £600m in 24 hours,” says one such campaigner, Jake Margrain.
The Knights of Columbus has pledged $100,000 to the rebuilding of St. Anthony’s, and St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo and the Zion Church in Batticaloa which were also bombed.
“The Knights of Columbus stands in solidarity with our Christian brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka during this time of trial,” said Carl Anderson, supreme knight of the Catholic charitable organization, in a statement Monday. “Terrorist attacks like those on Easter Sunday are the acts of those who reject the sanctity of life, human rights and religious freedom.”
“Globally, it is well documented that Christians are the most persecuted religious group today,” Anderson said in his statement. “Now is the time for every country to take concrete steps to protect their minority populations, including Christians, and to stop this persecution and slaughter.”
