Former Rector Rev.Filician Perera felicitated
By Bandula Nonis
St.Peter’s College held its 75th annual prize giving on February 15, 2007, with Rev.Filician Perera Editor, Catholic Messenger, as Chief Guest. He was the previous Rector of St.Peter’s College.
Rev.Filician recalled his 13 year Rectorship with nostalgia at St. Peter’s and observed that coming to St.Peter’s was like coming home.
He recalled the contribution made by former Rectors to make St.Peter’s what it is now.
It is important to mention the selfless contribution made by Rev. Joe Wickremasinghe in the chain of Rectors who has made a lasting service that remain alive in the minds of men.
Rev.Fr. Filician commended the education authorities whose directives and circulars since independence have contributed to advance the indigenization of the Church and transformation of prayers and rituals in keeping with the times.
However he emphasized that these directives and circulars should be student centered.
The decision-making authorities should not rush to overnight decisions especially where education is concerned. He expected the Executive to be concerned of this aspect.
He advised the prize winners and the students in general that they should play the game of schooling well. Learn to say ‘yes’ always, he said.
Try to keep the college flag high. He emphasized the need of participating in the religious services, and the regular attendance to Dhaham Pasala and devote time reading books and newspapers.
Rev. Filician in his new role as the Editor Of the Catholic Messenger, assured that the outlook of the Catholic Messenger should change with the times and requested the Catholic writers” community to keep on writing.
He hoped that old Peterites too could contribute to the Catholic Journals.
The ceremony terminated with the singing of T.M.Jayaratne’s Ammawarun pamanada Buduwanne (Do mother’s only attain Buddahood) by the Peterite oriental choir conducted by Maestro Samantha Amarajeeva.
Rev. Rector. Travis Gabriel, Vice Rectors, Rev. Cooray, Rev. Muthukudarachchi and Rev. Rohita Rodrigo and the Tutorial Staff were present at the occasion.
