ASIA/SRI LANKA - Appointment of Auxiliaries of the Archdiocese of Colombo

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI on November 28, 2011 appointed Rev. Fidelis Emmanuel Lionel Fernando, Episcopal Vicar for the faithful of the Archdiocese of Tamil Columbus and Rev. Sampathawaduge Maxwell Grenville Silva, Dean of the College of St. Thomas Kotte as Auxiliaries for the Archdiocese of Colombo (Sri Lanka).
Rev.Fernando was assigned the titular see of Orta and Rev. Silva was assigned the titular see of Lesina.
Rev. Fidelis Lionel Emmanuel Fernando was born on May 20, 1948 in Jaffna. After his primary and secondary school education at St. Benedict's College, of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, in Colombo, he entered the Minor Seminary of St. Aloysius of Columbus of the Archdiocese. After completing his studies at the Minor Seminary, he was admitted to the National Seminary of Kandy for philosophical studies. For his theological studies, however, he was sent to Rome, where he obtained his Bachelors degree in Theology and a Licentiate in Moral Theology at Urbaniana University. From 1981 to 1987, while he was teaching at the National Major Seminary of Kandy, he went to the Catholic University of Washington (U.S.A.), where he obtained his Doctorate in Theology.
He was ordained a priest on January 6, 1973 in the Vatican, for the Archdiocese of Colombo, by the Servant of God Pope Paul VI. After his ordination, he has held the following Offices: 1973-1978: Assistant priest in three different parishes; 1978-2001: Professor at the National Seminary of Kandy; 1989-1991: Vice-Rector of the National Seminary of Kandy; 1991 - 1998: Rector of the National Seminary of Kandy; 2001-2010: A number of pastoral assignments in the Archdiocese of Colombo: Pastor, Dean in the Moratuwa area, Episcopal Vicar for Catechesis and the Apostolate for the Family, Episcopal Vicar for the southern area of the Archdiocese, Member of the Priests' Council and the Board of Consultants. Since 2010, he has been Episcopal Vicar for the faithful of Tamil origin in the Archdiocese of Colombo.
Rev. Sampathawaduge Maxwell Grenville Silva was born on September 27, 1953 in Willorawatte, in the Archdiocese of Colombo. He started elementary school in his parish, before moving to St. Sebastian's College, in Moratuwa (South Colombo), where he completed his primary and secondary studies. He later entered the Minor Seminary of the Archdiocese, St. Peter's College. After the preparatory year, he was admitted to the National Seminary of Kandy, where he completed his studies in philosophy and theology. After ordination, he continued his education by attending college courses at various local Institutes. He obtained a Master in Science Education and one in Sociology at the University of Kelaniya (Columbo). He was ordained a priest on 25 July 1981 for the Archdiocese of Colombo. After ordination he has held the following Offices: 1981-1983: Assistant priest of the parish of St. Francis de Sales, Dalugam; 1983-1986: Pastor of the parish of Thibbotugoda; 1986-1993: Pastor of the parish of Mabola, Wattala; 1992 - 1998: Professor at St. Joseph's College, Grandpass; 1998-2001: Professor at Basilica College, Ragaama. Since 2001 he has been Dean at the state school St. Thomas' College, in Kotte. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 28/11/2011)