Cardinal suspends transfer of College and parish heads
The Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, has suspended all transfers of rectors, vice rectors and directors to colleges and parishes.
A “special communiqué” issued yesterday through the Office of the Administration Secretary says that “due to technical difficulties that have arisen, all transfers announced to the colleges and parishes to be effective from January 2014, have been suspended until further notice by the Archbishop of Colombo”.
Administration Secretary Rev Jude Samatha Fernando was not available for comment despite repeated attempts to con- tact him.
The new development comes amidst strong demands from past pupils and others to transfer St. Joseph’s College Rector Rev. Sylvester Ranasinghe over certain audit allegations. While his name had also been on the list, his transfer is now suspended along with the others.
Sources from the Archbishop’s House said they could not speculate on whether the cancellation of transfers had anything to do with him. “It has happened in the past. Transfers have been suspended or postponed due to various reasons known to the Archbishop,” a spokesman said, on request of anonymity.
The Archbishop announced new appointments to Catholic colleges in a statement issued on December 2. In his statement, he pointedly said that, “Please note that these appointments or changes are not done due to any requests, recommendations or desires of any individual or of any group or of any commission, but purely on the basis of the requirements of the colleges and my personal assessment.”
He expressed his special thanks to two rectors --St. Sebastian’s College Rector Rev. Bonnie Fernandopulle and St. Joseph’s College Rector Rev. Ranasinghe -- for “the excellent and committed service they rendered to these schools over many years”.
“I wish to state that I am completely convinced of the integrity, honesty and commitment of these two Fathers to these institutions,” he said.
New appointments were due to take effect at St. Joseph’s College, St. Peter’s College, St. Sebastian’s College, Holy Cross College, Loyola College, St. Thomas Catholic International, St. Joseph’s College- Branch School, Wattala, St. Joseph’s College-Branch School, Negombo, and St. Peter’s CollegeBranch School, Udugampola.