Joseph Jayamanna Mohottige Don is a seminarian from Colombo, Sri Lanka.
"We have over five hundred priests in our diocese, so sometimes we are sent to other parishes, to towns where there are no priests, because the Archdiocese has the greatest responsibility to nurture and nourish the people of God in our faith. Our diocese is also responsible for most of the seminary formation in the country, as many priests from our diocese serve in seminaries.
I am fortunate to belong to a parish where the Catholic faith is very strong and that is why we now have 35 priests who are from my own parish. The foundations laid by my parish community, by the Church and especially by St. Joseph, who is the patron saint of the parish, have been my cornerstone in this life.
My vocation arose when I was serving as an altar boy in my parish, Pamunugama. I used to go to mass every day after my first communion. I don't know how to explain it, but the desire to become a priest began to grow.
The role of the parish priest really appealed to me and I wanted to become one like my parish priest, so with this idea I joined St. Aloysius Minor Seminary in Colombo when I was only 14 years old, in January 2009. From that blessed day onwards, God has led me so far in his life journey towards the priesthood."
"Et is a great privilege to be in formation in Rome and then return to my country to serve as a priest. A poor country like ours has fewer possibilities for the expenses of studies in Rome, so your help is certainly a blessing.
One of the main purposes of sending seminarians to Rome is so that we can return and teach in the seminaries in the formation of future priests, so a vocation that is nurtured here in Rome in every aspect will one day be a great help to thousands of young men studying for the priesthood."
