His Grace Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Marcus Fernando was welcomed to Heaven by the Lord on Good Friday, April 10, 2020. His journey on earth lasted four score and seven. His Grace was at the helm of Sri Lanka’s flock as the Archbishop of Colombo for well-nigh25 years,from 1977to 2002. He was elevated as an Archbishop at the comparatively young age of 44. Yet, in the annals of Christianity in Sri Lanka, he truly played a decisive role as the Chief Shepherd.
Little has changed in that familiar exterior of ‘ Emmaus’ inTewatte wherethe Chief Shepherd spent his retirement in the environs of the Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka from 2002 to 2020. Archbishop Fernando, as he was affectionately referred to was very relaxed always but preferred to respect ‘old age’ and to be identified as a ‘Senior Citizen’.
He was respected as a scholar, a man of great integrity and a linguist of no mean repute. He was fluent in English, Sinhala and Tamil and had a command of many other languages.With constancy and care, Archbishop Fernandolaboured along with the priests, religious lay catechists and the faithfulall along his tenure as the Chief Shepherd for not only the effective promotion of evangelisation of the people but also for the provision of the earthly needs of the citizens and social progress of all classes.
Glimpses of a Shepherd
I am truly blessed tohave sailedthe early years of my life on the course steered by Archbishop Fernando. We were born as parishioners of St. Mary’s Church, Grand Street,Negombo; christened at St. Mary’s Church, Grand Street,Negombo; educated atSt. Mary’s College, Grand Street,Negombo and grew up in the confines ofSt. Mary’s Church, Grand Street,Negombo.
The lifelongreminiscences for a Maryiteof that era could be the beautiful bronze statue of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary that occupied the niche of the Main Block of the college, the life-like statue of the founder, Rev. Fr. J. B. Vistarini that stands before the façade of the church, his last resting place in the side altar of the church where his grave is identified bya statue of him, and the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in the precincts of the church.Rev. Vistarini, the parish priest of the majestic churchwas considered a ‘Living Saint’.
Reverting back to the life of Archbishop Fernando, I was the Head Prefect at St. Mary’s College,Negombo when the good news from the Holy See in Rome of his elevation reachedthe city of Negombo, well known as the ‘Little Rome’. I vividly remember how the bells of the grand old churchpealed and howpeople fromall walks of life in Negombo united to share the joy of producing the first son of the parish as the Archbishop of Colombo.
Ever since, I was privileged to associate the then serving Archbishop of Colombo,all along my career as a naval officer. During my schooldays, he was my ‘Hero’. In my youth, I preferred him to be my ‘Role Model’. As the years rolled by, he became my ‘Mentor’and later ‘Spiritual Director’- a unique bond of friendship that flourished for 40 long years.
Year after year, I never failed to visit His Grace on his Patronal Feast and birthday and His Grace reciprocated as our birthdays fall on 6th and 16th of December. His Grace never failed to contact me whenever he reads the articles I have penned to congratulate and inspireme. He has always been pleasant, unassuming and easy to talk to.
As I linger down memory lane, many nostalgic events of my association with himflashes before me and I would like to share a few. I was privilegedto confer on him the prestigious ‘Award of Excellence forthe Old Maryite of the Century’ and deliver the keynote speech at the book launch to mark the Silver Jubilee of his Episcopal Ordination. His Grace always appreciated my efforts to settle him down at ‘Emmaus’ in retirement and reminded me of our unforgettable pilgrimage to the Basilica ofOur Lady of Good Health in Vailankanniamidstsevere floods. He was always part of our important family events.I will never forget or cease to appreciate the pivotal role he played in my life. His groundings and counselhas stood me in good stead and given me strength to overcome many tribulations.
Birth and Divine Call
In the Register of Baptism at St. Mary’s Church, Grand Street, Negombo which boasts a legacy of 455 years, the name ‘Nicholas Marcus’ appears as the 115th entry in the year 1932. He has been christened on December 13th, in the presence of his loved parents, Wilfred SeverinusFernando and Mary Lily Margaret Fernando with Theophilus Fernando and Maria Hariet Fernando as god parents.
He was born a week earlier on December 6th in the renowned fishing hamlet of Munnakkara. Incidentally, it was on their feast day and the church and the city are dedicated to St. Nicholas. Thus, his humble and pious parents who cherished the proper endowment of spiritual values to their children would have beenencouraged to name him after St. Nicholas.
Archbishop Fernando is the second child in the family and he has seven siblings. According to the order of birth they are Frank, Archbishop Nicholas Marcus, Benzy, Camillus, Victor, Berryl, Nicholas Alexis and Maureen.Archbishop Fernando had his primary education at the Roman Catholic Mixed School in Munnnakkara.
Then, he entered the leading Catholic educational institution, St. Mary’s College, Grand Street, Negombo where he was beckoned by God to his vineyard to enable him to fulfill his allotted vocation. The effusive showering of talents and the providential timing of his birth made young Nicholas Marcus more and more conscious of his obligations before God. These ideas and ideals which matured in him from childhood made him what he became.
Responding with devotion to the Divine call, he entered St. Aloysius Seminary, Borellain 1945 and passed the SSC Examination with exemption from the London Matriculation in 1949, the London University Inter-Arts Examination in 1951, and the London University BA Examination in 1953 and entered St. Bernard’s Major Seminary in 1953 for his Philosophical studies.
In the Seminary, he set his goals straight and chartered the correct path. His perfection was to seek God’s will and fulfill it and as a result glory and honour followed him - as the day follows the night. And the day dawned for young Nicholas Marcus to approach the altar.
Ordination and Priesthood
He was sent to Collegiode Propaganda Fide in Rome in 1954 to pursue his studies and obtained a Baccalaureatein Philosophy anda Licentiate in Philosophyfrom the Urban University in Romein 1955 and 1956 respectively and a Baccalaureate in Theology in 1958. He was ordained as a priest by His Eminence Cardinal Agagianian on December 20, 1959 in Rome. Later, he obtained his Licentiate in Theology as well from the Urban University in 1960.
Fr. Nicholas Marcus returned to Sri Lanka and was appointed to the staff of St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiyain 1960. Later, he was appointed to the staff of St. Aloysius Seminary, Borella in 1963 and was elevated as the Rector in 1965. In 1973, he was again sent back to Rome to read for his Doctorate in Moral Theology which he achieved with a Summa cum Laudein 1976.
He was appointed to the staff of the National Seminary of Our Lady of Lanka in Kandy in 1976. With his elevation as the Archbishop of Colombo on March 30, 1977 by His Holiness Pope Paul VI, he became the youngest to be appointed to the office at the age of 44. He also became the first Diocesan Priest to be appointed an Archbishop.
Spiritual Colossus
A scholar, preacher and spiritual colossus, Archbishop Fernando during his 25 years as the Archbishop of Colombofrom 1977 to 2002expanded the Archdiocese in several directions. He was a spontaneous and a compelling priest, whose interests gave him new strength and greater depth.
Archbishop Fernando welcomed Pope John Paul II to Sri Lanka on January 20, 1995 for a historical visit during which the Beatification of St. Joseph Vaz took place in Colombo.He celebrated the Silver Jubilees of his Episcopal Ordination at St. Lucia’s Cathedral, Colombo on May 14, 2002.
It is indeed a rare blessing and a privilege for one to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Priestly Ordination and His Grace thought it fit to bestow the honouron the parish whichnourished him and it was befittingly celebrated with pomp and pageantry t and with the participation of all the bishops and hundreds of priests at the beautiful St. Mary’s Church, Grand Street,Negombo on December 20, 2009. His Diamond Jubilee was marked by a solemn service at Tewatte on December 20, 2019.
Archbishop Fernando is a man of utter simplicity, disarming humility and of patient holiness and piety. All along his long and distinguished religious duty spanning 60 eventful years, he endeared himself to the poor and the rich alike.
He maintained a good rapport with allbishops, priests, nuns and friends to their admiration until his demise. His entire life had been nothing short of miraculous. Archbishop Fernando was like the good and faithful servant in the parable - he was faithful in small matters, therefore, he was put in charge of great matters.
(This article is an adapted version of the author’s tribute to Archbishop Fernando on his 86th Birthday appearing in the Daily News of December 5, 2017)