The ‘Smiling Chancellor’- an educationist par excellence

The Most Reverend Dr Oswald Gomis, Emeritus Archbishop of Colombo and former Chancellor of the University of Colombo was called to his heavenly home on February 3, 2023.

If Father Bonjean was considered ‘the Father of the Denominational School System’, Dr. Oswald Gomis can be considered the modern Father of Assisted Schools. Being a product of St Benedict’s College, he wanted to provide similar education through equality and religious harmony for the students. At an interview he said that when he was appointed Archbishop of Colombo he had a special objective – that is to provide a good education for the people.

To achieve this, he wanted to expand Catholic education. He made a valiant effort within the existing legal framework to establish branch schools of the popular Catholic private schools. St. Peter’s College, Gampaha and Udugampola branches, St. Joseph’s College, Enderamulla and Kadolkele branches and many more such schools. Further, a branch of St. Nicholas’ International College in Negombo and St. Thomas Catholic International College in Seeduwa were also established and School of Hope, Paiyagala and– Don Bosco Technical Institute – Nochchiyagama founded under his patronage.

As a historian and author, he has also contributed to education. For example, he disproved that, Catholicism was introduced for the first time in our country by the Portuguese, in his book, ‘Some Christian Contributions in Sri Lanka’. He pointed out that one Jordanus Catalha de Severac, a Dominican Friar, was appointed to Colombo as a bishop by Pope John XX11 on April 5, 1330 according to a document in the Vatican Archives, and he (Jordanus) has written a book called “Mirabila Descripta”(also in Vatican Archives) giving a vivid description about various countries including ancient Sri Lanka and about two kings during his stay here.

He also forwarded evidence according to Vatican sources that another missionary, a Papal Legate by the name of Giovani de Marignolli who was sent to the East by the same Pope stayed in Colombo for 18 months around 1348/1349 and taught catechism in a church dedicated to St. George and also erected a huge stone cross here, before his departure to Europe.

Bishop Oswald Gomis’s contribution to the University of Colombo and to me personally, is invaluable. In 1994 I sent an application to the University of Colombo for a post of Probationary Lecturer in Humanities Education. I was amazed to find the Archbishop of Colombo on the interview panel. Later I learnt that he was indeed there as a member of the University Council as an educationist.

Years later as the Dean of the Faculty of Education when I met him at a convocation, I mentioned this incident to him. With his usual endearing smile, he said “I am glad we made the correct decision at that time.” In 2019 at the Postgraduate Convocation when he as the Chancellor handed me the Vice Chancellor’s award for excellence in research in the Faculty of Education in 2018, beaming with pride he told the Vice Chancellor “I selected her to the University.” Such was his memory!

Bishop Gomis was on the Council of the University of Colombo from 1977-2001. Later, he was appointed as the Chancellor in 2001 and continued to serve the University in this capacity till 2021. Every year I hear the graduands after the convocation commenting on the “smiling Chancellor’ who wished each and every one of them. In spite of the arduous task of sitting through three days of four sessions, and handing over the scrolls, he made it a point to make their big day memorable by that personal touch.

He continued to discharge his role as Chancellor to perfection by attending all the University functions he was invited to irrespective of whether it was Christmas carols or pirith. He took pride in the achievements of both the students and staff of the University of Colombo. I have heard him saying to the students, referring to ragging that such unfortunate incidents do not happen in our university. Bishop Gomis held his position with dignity and pride. In turn the students and staff respected and liked him.

When Bishop Gomis was appointed the Archbishop of Colombo the Bishop’s Conference in a statement said, “He brings to Colombo valuable expertise as a scholar, educationist, historian, author and above all, a revered pastor”. He indeed used his expertise to the maximum and in his retirement continued to impart this knowledge through his writings. People of Bishop Gomis’s calibre are very rare today.

We will miss you dear Father, but you will live through your good deeds.

May host of angels lead you to your eternal rest!