The Catholic Church has strongly condemned recent statements made by Pastor Jerome Fernando.

Emphasising that Pastor Fernando does not belong to the Catholic church, Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, the Spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Colombo told reporters in Colombo that Pastor Fernando’s statements are likely to pose a threat to religious coexistence in the country.

“We believe that his comments would also taint the views of his followers concerning other religions. We cannot disregard the fact that these comments would threaten religious coexistence and units, and could lead to communal issues as well,” Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando further stated.