Newly arrived priest ready and excited for ministry
By Josh Low
Newly arrived priest Fr Kasun Dananjaya CSsR said his aim is to share the love of God with the people of Tasmania.
Appointed to the Bellerive-Lindisfarne Parish for a period of four years, the Redemptorist priest said he has already felt the warmth of the community amid the cold of the Tasmanian winter.
Hailing from Sri Lanka and ordained a priest in 2021, Fr Kasun has already spent some time in Australia completing his Master of Theology degree in Melbourne, which followed a decade of studies in Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
Having felt a call to the priesthood as early as 10 years old, inspired by St Joseph Vaz, a missionary priest in Sri Lanka, Fr Kasun entered the seminary in 2004 at age 16.
During his period of discernment in the seminary, he also studied and later worked in education, as well as for an international tea export company.
Fr Kasun explained that he joined the Redemptorists because of their missionary character and charism for preaching the love of God.
“The missionary aspect and being able to go from place to place is what made me join the Redemptorists, as well as the focus on preaching.
“Redemptorists are very different to others and feel very comfortable in the way we approach people and relate to people,” he said.
Fr Kasun added that he is excited for ministry here and looking forward to giving all of himself and his talents to the parish.
“Me coming here just happened so smoothly and mysteriously and I just embraced it. I see it as a blessing from God, and that God has called me to do something here.
“It is also a blessing to have this opportunity to begin my ministry under Fr Mark [Freeman] because of all of his experience,” he said.
He hopes that through his ministry, others may experience God’s love in the same way that he has.
“The priesthood is what brings joy and happiness to my life. That’s why when I’m in this ministry and celebrating the Mass and administering the sacraments, I feel really joyful.
“I just want to allow people to experience how God loves them and how God journeys with them. And through my presence, through my smile, with all my gifts and whatever abilities that God has given me, I hope to share that with other people,” he said.