PROUD MARISTONIANS CELEBRATE CENTENNIAL OF SERVICE TO EDUCATION IN SRI LANKA

02/07/2022

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The eighteenth of June of this year was a day of significance for the staff, old and present students and well-wishers of Maris Stella College of Negombo as the day marked the centenary celebrations-a major milestone-of this prestigious seat of learning in the country.

The origins of this Catholic college date back to 1922 when on 13^th July 1917 four Marist brothers came to the fishing town of Negombo, 34 km north of Colombo, and took over the management of St. Mary’s College, the leading school in the area at that time. They had arrived first in Batticaloa on the eastern coast in 1911. In 1922 the school moved to its present site under its new name of Maris Stella College. The history of the primary school goes back to 1921 when Bro. Lewis Gervaise, a Frenchman, was the principal of the elementary school (1922-1926). Three long cadjan sheds housed eight primary classes.

The brothers who had joined St. Mary’s College, were in dire need to expand their sphere of education in the island (then Ceylon) and searched for new land. In 1920, Anthony Coudert, the then French archbishop of Colombo, transferred to the Marist brothers the property known as ‘Coppara Handiya Estate’ which was in extent of eight acres and 19 perches. The property was a gift to the Catholic Church from two sisters -Mrs. Rosa Isabella De Croos Dabarera and Mrs. Mary Christine De Croos Rajchandra. The two donors wished that the property must be used for founding a Catholic college to provide education for boys of the area.

When World War II broke out in August 1939, the school was requisitioned in part the following year by the Royal Artillery as its headquarters. Although the Royal Artillery moved out in November, the Royal Air Force occupied the buildings in 1941. The college was put under the protection of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. There were frequent practices of Air Raid Precautions. Trenches were dug for shelter against possible aerial bombing. The school had been closed for Easter holidays in 1942 when the Japanese launched an air raid though the invaders were turned back.

Marist vision and mission

Following the 1789 French Revolution, the Catholic Church in France suffered severely at the hands of the revolutionaries when the bishops, priests and religious were killed in their thousands. But, when Napoleon Bonaparte came to power in 1815, this persecution ended, thus ushering in a period of religious freedom that brought about a religious re-awakening among the young people who were interested more and more in becoming priests and religious. Inspired by this new trend favourable to the Church, a young priest by the name of Marcellin Joseph Benedict Champagnat (1789-1840), born near St. Etienne (Loire), France, and ordained in 1816, founded the following year the religious Congregation of Marist Brothers devoted to Mary and dedicated to education of the poor, the marginalised and the underprivileged under the name of ‘Little Brothers of Mary’. Although at his death there were only 280 Marist Brothers in the south of France, this number grew to 1500 Brothers in 1856. Today, there are about 5000 Marist Brothers and tens of thousands of Laypeople who follow in the footsteps of the saint in spreading Marist education in 74 countries around the world. The feast of St. Marcellin Champagnat falls on 06^th June which is his death anniversary.

When Maris Stella College of Negombo proudly steps into the next century it would be worthwhile here to highlight the Five Pillars of Ethos on which the Marist vision is fashioned, namely, Presence, Simplicity, Family Spirit, Love of Work and Inspiration of Mary the Blessed Mother.

A centenary Mass was celebrated on the picturesque and environment-friendly premises of the college on 18^th June. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, in his homily at the Mass, said that the current state of the country is indeed pathetic and miserable. “A revolution of attitudes is much needed right now with every citizen placing the country above themselves”, he added. The archbishop pointed out that a majority of the country’s youth is planning to leave the country behind in these turbulent times. “If this continues, the politicians will not have any citizen to serve …Everyone must take this into mind and work together for the betterment of the country leaving behind political debates and elections”, the prelate reminded.

Bro. Sunanda Alwis, the principal, said that Maris Stella College has produced 24,119 productive citizens along with four bishops and 89 clergy for the Catholic Church within the last century.

Notable alumni of the college

Maris Stella College, the motto of which is Iter para tutum (‘Show us the way’ in Latin), has produced a number of prominent citizens in various professions. Among them are academics Prof. Carlo Fonseka, a former president of the Sri Lanka Medical Council; Prof. Leslie Panditharatne, a former chancellor of the University of Peradeniya and chairman of the University Grants Commission, perhaps the oldest living Maristonian at age 92; A. N. S. Kulasinghe, founding chairman of the State Engineering Corporation of Ceylon; J. F. A. Soza, Supreme Court judge; politicians Wijayapala Mendis, mayor of Negombo and a former Minister of Textile Industries; P. B. G. Kalugalle, a former cabinet minister and diplomat; Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, a former Minister of Civil Aviation and Airports Development; Paul Perera, a former Minister of Science and Technology; artists Eddie Jayamanne, popular comedian and actor; Ranjan Ramanayake, popular actor and politician; Ashan Dias, actor and TV host; Sunil Mihindukula, journalist and author; Camillus Perera, popular newspaper cartoonist and publisher; Rohan and Rohitha Jayalath, famous Sri Lankan reggae duo of the Jaya Sri Band; Dinesh Subasinghe, talented composer and violinist; entrepreneur Merrill Fernando, founder of Dilmah tea company; and international cricketers Graeme Labrooy, Dushmantha Chameera and Dasun Chanaka, and Wendell Labrooy, former domestic cricketer. ***