The 40th anniversary of the Ordination of Very Rev.Fr. Damian Fernando, Parish Priest of Yatiyantota and Vicar General of the Diocese of Ratnapura along with the 15th Sacerdotal, Ordination Anniversary of Rev. Fr. Anton Sriyan, Director of Caritas Ratnapura Sethmini and Sacred Liturgy and Rev.Fr. Anslem Shiran, Rector of St. Nicholas’s International College, Negombo, were celebrated on a grand scale at Yatiyantota St. Mary’s Church in the presence of Rt. Rev. Dr. Harold Anthony Perera, Bishop of Kurunegala, on August 19.
Thanksgiving Mass was presided over by Fr. Damian Fernando and assisted by Rev. Frs. Anton Sriyan, Anslem Shiran and Piyal Fernando.
Earlier the Bishop and the priests were conducted in a colourful procession from the town to the church.
Bishop Harold Anthony Perera recollected how he met Fr. Damian for the first time in 1962 at St. Aloysius Seminary and worked with him during the tsunami devastation helping the affected people and helping those affected by the LTTE war. The Bishop said Fr. Damian built 15,000 houses to the affected families. During his brief period as the Bishop of Ratnapura Fr. Damian worked with him as the Procurator General. The Bishop said that God selected few among the ordinary people, anoint them and send them again to serve the people and Fr. Damian is one of them.
Fr. Damian received his primary education at Dalupotha R. C. School and in 1971 joined the National Seminary, Kandy. He was ordained a priest by Rt. Rev. Dr. Anthony De Saram in 1978.
After serving as an Assistant Priest at Yatiyantota, Kegalle and Acting Priest at Gurugalla in 1981 he was appointed as the Parish Priest of Keerapathdeniya. He went to Philippines in 1982 for his higher studies and obtained a Degree in Social Development. After his return he was appointed Parish Priest in Deniyaya, Alpitiya and Yatiyantota and Director Sed-Galle. In 1996 he was appointed as the Procurator General for the Diocese of Ratnapura. In 2001 he was appointed as the National Director for Caritas and in 2010 as the Vicar General cum Procurator for the Ratnapura Diocese.
He was also appointed as the Parish Priest of Yatiyantota and for Dehiowita and in October as Parish Priest of Yatiyantota where he continues to serve the parish and the Diocese.