Humble person who did giant-like work

Bernadeen Silva

My first acquaintance with Bernadeen was as the sister of my Peradeniya teacher, Basil Mendis. Bernadeen was fond of her brother Basil and was in touch with his life and work. I can still vividly remember her wanting me to write a piece on Basil when his end came far away from her.

This initial introduction to Bernadeen developed into working with her. She had the God-given capacity to attract us younger persons to her way of thinking and taking us on board her dreamboat of working for people.

My personal link with Fr. Tissa Balasuriya and his work at Dean’s Road helped me to keep in touch with Bernadeen. Many were her concerns. In her work with the Richmond Foundation she brought in a personal dimension for she was interested in the welfare of each person.

Bernadeen was a simple and humble person. But her work was giantlike.

It was her inner life, the spirituality that was hers, which motivated her to move from the Blessed Sacrament to work with and for people of all sorts, seeking the welfare of all people.

By Sydney Knight