BishopBernt Ivar EIDSVIG, C. R. S. A, bishop of Oslo Diocese in Norway visited the Jaffna Oblates from the 9th to the 11th of July 2014. He was accompanied by Fr. Bharath Villavarayan from Kotahena working in Oslo. The Diocese of Oslo ministers to around 51,000* Catholics who form 1.5 % of a total population of 3,500,000. There are 18,000 Tamil immigrants from Sri Lanka of whom 8,000 are Catholics. It is noteworthy that a big group of Tamils in Norway are from Navanthurai, Sri Lanka. There are 18,000 Filipinos in Oslo , majority of whom are Catholics (80%). There are also 21,000 immigrants from Vietnam 12,000 of whom are Catholics. Two Oblate priests from Jaffna Fr. Victor Jeyasingham OMI and Fr. Saveripillai Edmund Reginald OMI are already in the Diocese of Oslo ministering mainly to the immigrants. Negotiations are under way to form a “new mission” of Denmark-Norway. This “New Mission” is to be the responsibility of the Province of Jaffna. At present this region is being looked after by the Province of Poland as Districts of Poland.
* Figures are taken from 2004 census and are rounded off for readability.
he Jaffna Oblates from the 9th to the 11th of July 2014. He was accompanied by Fr. Bharath Villavarayan from Kotahena working in Oslo. The Diocese of Oslo ministers to around 51,000* Catholics who form 1.5 % of a total population of 3,500,000. There are 18,000 Tamil immigrants from Sri Lanka of whom 8,000 are Catholics. It is noteworthy that a big group of Tamils in Norway are from Navanthurai, Sri Lanka. There are 18,000 Filipinos in Oslo , majority of whom are Catholics (80%). There are also 21,000 immigrants from Vietnam 12,000 of whom are Catholics. Two Oblate priests from Jaffna Fr. Victor Jeyasingham OMI and Fr. Saveripillai Edmund Reginald OMI are already in the Diocese of Oslo ministering mainly to the immigrants. Negotiations are under way to form a “new mission” of Denmark-Norway. This “New Mission” is to be the responsibility of the Province of Jaffna. At present this region is being looked after by the Province of Poland as Districts of Poland. 
