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| Sunday, 31 October 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Santiago Fernando : Devout Catholic and revolutionary by Norbert Manatunga The death anniversary of Warnakulasuriya Santiago Fernando, the devout Catholic, proletarian, revolutionary, noble teacher, writer, journalist, patriot and a former President of the MEP falls on November 2.
He received his primary education at St. Anthony's Sinhalese school in Dalupotha. Studying with the help of the bottle lamp under strenuous conditions, Santiago qualified, in the course of time, as a trained teacher, a much valued noble vocation for a middle-class youth in that milieu. Santiago's life pattern was moulded on the virtues of humility, simplicity, generosity and moral integrity that constituted the priceless inheritance of the indigenous culture and traditions of mother Lanka. In 1931 Santiago Fernando was elected to the Othara village committee as the member for Dalupotha. In 1935 when Lanka Samasamaja party entered the Sri Lankan political scene under party stalwarts such as Philip Gunawardena, Robert his brother, N. M. Perera, Colvin and others, Santiago found a genial ally, and joined them in their campaign as a social reformer. That was the start of Santiago's stormy political career which spanned over five decades. In 1943 he was elected to the Negombo M.C. as the first L.S.S.P. member. At that time there was general belief among the Christians that the L.S.S.P. as a Marxist party was atheistic in outlook, and hence unacceptable to the Catholic Church. However, Santiago moulded and welded in the anvil of strict Christian principles of 'love thy neighbour as thyself', lived his unostentatious Catholic faith, in a manner much more acceptable to God, than the average vociferous Catholic of Negombo - the city well-known as the little Rome. In 1925, as a student, he agitated for the country's independence from the Colonial Rule. In 1928, being a teacher in a Catholic assisted school, he was among the first to moot for the takeover of the Denominational Schools by the Govt. In 1954 he was in the fray for Sinhala to be made the State language with Tamil in the North. He staunchly supported C. W. W. Kannangara in his Free Education Policies, and later campaign with Philip Gunawardena and other Leftists in their various social reforms for the uplift of the under-privileged and the marginalised in society. Frequent writer As a frequent writer to the secular and religious journals Santiago's policies were highly admired by the celebrated writer and poet Munidasa Cumaratunga. In the Catholic Church, Santiago Fernando vehemently agitated for inculturation and indigenisation. He questioned the validity of not permitting the Poruwa, Jayamangala gatha, Punkalas, Hewisi music, National flag etc. that constitute the hallowed Sinhala customs and traditions at weddings, for church weddings. He strongly advocated that Sinhala be made the Churchlanguage, with the translation of the Bible to Sinhala/Tamil. He called for Sinhala Hymns and prayers and liturgy at Holy Mass, so that the spiritual services be intelligible to the masses. He was keenly interested to promote the celebration of all national festivals such as the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, by the Christians, in cooperation with their other countrymen - the Buddhists and the Hindus. On the occasion of his daughter's marriage, Santiago Fernando was very keen in observing the Sinhala customs and traditions with the poruwa ceremony etc. in the church. However, he failed to obtain permission from several churches. Ultimately, a foreign (French) priest gave him full permission in his church in Bolawalana, to have the church wedding with all cultural regalia of Sinhala traditions. Santiago had to fight with his back to the wall to withstand the tremendous challenges in and outside the Church, for his radical reforms. Some Catholics, who strongly opposed Santiago, labelled him as a Marxist rebel and Satan. Santiago Fernando as a genuine social reformer and true patriot was never disheartened. Today, Warnakulasooriya Santiago Fernando could be honoured as the man who could see through time on the social and religious reformation in the country. All the doors that were barred and locked against Santiago in the Church were flung open by the Second Vatican Council. In the Catholic Church, practically all that he had agitated for, fought for, and was persecuted for, have been put into practice. Today, Catholics are encouraged to celebrate the national festivals by the Church. It is not uncommon to see some Churches even joining the Buddhists in illuminating their Churches with lanterns on Vesak Poya day. In Santiago Fernando's chequered political career for national awakening and social upliftment, I am reminded of Rudyard Kipling's lines; "If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build them up with worn out tools". Reward Santiago Fernando's family lineage, from grandfather to grandson, that originated in indigent, unenviable circumstances of a humble, poor home, that progressed through righteous living with the sweat of the brow, and the voice of conscience, had reached the much coveted position of judicial eminence of High Court. That would fare favourably with the rise of the American President, Abraham Lincoln, from Log Cabin to White House. The illustrious highlight of Santiago Fernando's reward came from none other than the Archbishop of Colombo, the Most Rev. Dr. Nicholas Marcus Fernando when he presented him the 'Kithunandana Pranamaya' (The Christian Emblem of Honour) in 1987, in recognition of his dedicated services to Christian principles and doctrine. Santiago, the once rejected stone became the cornerstone of the Church. Santhi Gurunnanse appropriately tallies with the description of the character in the "Deserted Village" by Oliver Goldsmith: "Truth from his lips prevailed with double sway, And fools, who came to scoff, remained to pray". By his unswerving way of life in truth and justice, Santiago Fernando has testified to the truth of that maxim: "Honour and shame from no condition arise; act well your part there all the honour lies". In the words of St. Paul, Santiago Fernando could say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith", when he answered the Divine call to his soul, on the prayerfully most significant day for all dear departed souls, in the Catholic Church - November 2, 1991. |
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Santiago Fernando was from a poor Catholic family in Negombo, whose
home was a humble cadjan-roofed house. While his father worked in a coir
mill to eke out a meagre existence, his industrious mother supplemented
the family income by selling fish.
