" At the very commencement I wish to thank Rev. Fr. Rector and the Organizing Committee for inviting me to preside at this Prize Giving. I must say that it is with great joy that I accepted the invitation. The first reason for this is my desire to take this opportunity to thank Rev. Fr. Rector, all the Fathers on the staff, the members of the staff both academic and clerical and all others who have cooperated to shoulder the burden of running this school and making such very significant changes and improvements within this short time."
" As all of you would agree with me that both buildings and other facilities of the school have been improved. Fr. Rector and the other Fathers here have endeavoured to do their best within the limited means available to them to improve standards and provide the maximum possible facilities to provide for a better education in the school. I wish therefore to take this opportunity to thank Fr. Bonnie Fernandopulle the Rector and all the other Fathers for this highly commendable and committed task."
" Much as the physical component of the school has improved we must remember that this is only one aspect for the improvement of a school. Our aim as a Catholic school is to help each pupil to develop his full potential as a human being. We aspire to create an open, happy, stimulating and mutually respectful community environment where pupils are able to develop the full range of their abilities and talents in a balanced, integrated and generous way. In this way we hope not only to transform the individual lives of pupils but also society."
" I am sure there is no debate on the fact that the society in which we live in the world, and more specifically in Sri Lanka today needs transformation. The priceless value of human life, respect for human rights, truth, justice and almost all such noble virtues which we have traditionally held in high esteem have become antiquities of the past. The saddest fact is that we have become a nation that has gone backwards since Independence. I am not blaming one political party or other ; but it is evident that most of those who have handled the affairs of state are responsible for this situation. Lack of any love for the country and the welfare of the people have been some of the root causes for this decline. While those who governed the country almost at every turn from the time of Independence have been so, what of the people who are governed? Are they positively virtuous? In all sincerity we have to admit that the malaise of moral decadence has penetrated almost every rung of our society from the highest to the lowest and the whole value structure of our people has changed."
" The curse of mingling the legislature and the executive, and ultimately the executive becoming a pawn in the hands of politicians, has ruined the whole fabric of our administrative structure and vitiated it. Graft and political power is its driving force more than the sense of duty and service. In the process it is not efficiency or the welfare of the nation and the people that has taken priority - rather it is the political and economic benefit that a politician derives from it that has become important. And bureaucrats are inevitably compelled to fall in line and do, or depart."
" Sadly, this has been the trend in our country since Independence. Each regime has pushed us further and further towards the precipice and we are almost on the point of no return, humanly speaking. However, the wise saying goes that 'it is better to light one candle than curse the darkness.' And in a very Christian spirit of optimism let us try to do something within the perimeters that give us room for movement."
" In this respect our school is a golden opportunity for us to do our bit if not for the immediate present at least for the near future. We have over one thousand students here in this school and if we could empower each of these students to be men of virtue we would certainly initiate a transformation of our society. It was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who said that "....Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." Sharing the same view and fully convinced of the validity of this principle our Catholic schools are in the effort to transform our future generation to believe in peace, dignity and democracy by inculcating in them Christian values."
" In a country like ours this is very important and education should be the way in which we initiate our children into the richness of a snared life and heritage of overlapping communities. We live in a country that is multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural. Moratuwa is one of the important suburban cities south of the metropolitan capital of Sri Lanka. It is gifted with great variety - of race and religion. In fact not just a Christian community but almost all the mainline Churches are represented here in great variety. In that context it is imperative that we learn to live and let live. In this it is the family that is the first to initiate the child to the richness of shared life. Then there is the school community and then the parish or the village in which we live. Finally, we come to the country. To achieve this we must prepare our children to act with concern not only for themselves but also for the needs of others."
" This is not possible for the school alone. The role of the parents is also very vital and indispensable. Dear parents you have to remember that you have a very important role in the formation of attitudes. Remember that every word you say and every action you do in the hearing and sight of your child is a contribution to his formation - for better or for worse. Therefore you have a very important role to play remembering that the school is only an extension of the community of the family, respecting and supporting the values of Catholic family life and respecting the role of parents as the primary educators of their children."
" What we could do together may appear to be just a flicker in the darkness of midnight. But still it is a light to glow in the darkness and it may be an inspiration that leads others to believe that more light is possible and needed."
" Having said this I wish St. Sebastian's College that is making rapid progress to be truly a model Catholic school that will provide a role model for all others."
Thank you and May God bless you ! |
