Plus

Appreciations

He built our spiritual life
Rev. Fr. Francis Fernando
Rev. Fr. Francis Fernando was laid to rest on April 19, in the cemetery adjacent to his last place of domicile, St. Anne's Church Wattala. Fr. Francis celebrated his Golden Jubilee of priesthood on May 4 last year and was felicitated by his parishioners and well-wishers among them, the Archbishop of the metropolis Rt. Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis.

Fr. Francis had his early education in his native Wewala school dedicated to his patron saint Francis Xavier from where he entered St. Aloysius' seminary and St. Bernard's seminary. He was an assistant priest at Kalamulla, Kalutara and later had a short stint as deputy principal of Holy Cross College. Later he moved into the Cathedral of St. Lucia, Kotahena, as asst. parish priest from where he moved out to weightier responsibilities as a full-time parish priest to a half built Kandawala church which he completed.

He was instrumental in making the adjacent Kimbulapitiya sub-parish a full mission and building a mission house there too. He built not only the spiritual life of the faithful under his charge but also the buildings at Dagonna and Kondagahamulla are monuments to his dedication.

Fr. Francis then came back to where he started but this time as chief of the Kalamulla deanery where he opened many Sunday schools. He was the pioneer in the devotion to Infant Jesus in the area. His next transfer was to Pannipitiya where he continued his zeal of building God's House. The church of the Assumption of the Virgin is his brainchild which today stands as the pride of Maharagama parishoners. At this juncture Fr. Francis went to Rome on a two-year study course and back in Sri Lanka his new assignment was Pitipana where he relished his work among fisher folk.

From there he came to my parish at Moratuwa where he has left us with nostalgic memories of his dedicated commitment. He had an outstanding way of turning the congregation from idle and passive onlookers to vibrant participants. His sermons kept us spellbound and he led the congregation with spontaneous prayers.

He was amiable and despite his age was friendly with the young as well as the old. He was helpful and obliged those who sought his services. I recall how he helped me when I was desperate to find a boarding for my son at Wattala. He said if I failed he would put him up at his mission house.

During half a century of dedicated service to God's poor he has contributed valuable service and he would be remembered for many decades to come by the fishing community where he served. It was his earnest desire to construct an elders' home at Wattala -which at the time of his demise was halfway though construction. But he did manage to complete work in a Parish Library, which had been a dire necessity to the parishioners of his last assignment at Wattala.

There were many who joined the former Archbishop, Rt. Rev. Nicholas Marcus Fernando at St. Anne's burial grounds to pay their last respects to this great man of God.

The burial was preceded by the Eucharistic sacrifice concelebrated by four bishops with the Archbishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis, Auxilliary Bishop Rt. Rev. Marius Peiris, the Bishop of Galle, Rt. Rev. Elmore Perera & the retired Archbishop.

May the soul of our dear priest Rest in Peace.
Lenard R.
Mahaarachchi

The old and young together must go
Ishrath Dawood
If death was a thing,
For only the aged,
The young could live,
And the old could die,
But Allah in his mercy has made it so,
The old and young together must go,
By some twist or fate,
Your life was snatched on that fateful day,
With grieving hearts and tearful eyes,
We helplessly watched
How you were taken from our midst
To your eternal rest.

I Intelligent
S Sincere
H Helpful
R Rectitude
A Affable
T Truthful
H Humble
May Allah Grant You
'Jannathul Firdouse"
Fondly remembered by your loving family members
Imtiaz Dawood
(Father)

Back to Top

Back to Plus