The foremost catholic scholar of our times

Continued from last week

W.T.A. Leslie FERNANDO

Fr. Don Peter has made a deep insight to the church history in Sri Lanka. In 1963, he presented the work `Studies in Ceylon Church History' embodying his historical research. Fr. Don Peter was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society of Great Britain in 1965. Both Prof. George D. Winius of Holland and our Prof. C.R. De Silva has expressed that Fr. Don Peter is the worthy successor to Fr. S.G. Perera, the great historian in Sri Lanka.

Fr. W.L.A. Don Peter has rendered his services to the State as well. He has served as a member of the Government Educational Publication Board. He has represented Sri Lanka in educational conferences held in Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Soviet Russia. He has been thrice the President of the Headmasters Conference in Sri Lanka. He had the honour of serving in the national committee of the Sri Lankan section of the UNESCO History of Nations.

Fr. Don Peter is well-known for his zest for research and zealous application to work with a great capacity to maximise the use of time.

He has presented over two scores of books and written over 400 articles both in Sinhala and in English for journals here and abroad. He was a much respected writer whose lucid style of writing provides fascinating reading.

Fr. Don Peter has written a series of novels for children and some of them have been reprinted several times. His Vanagatha Lamo, a story of jungle adventure has gone through ten editions. Tekkawatte Kathava written by him in 1998 won the Presidential award for the best children's novel in the year.

In 1991, Fr. W.L.A. Don Peter set up the Daham Sarana Institute in Tudella to present Catholic literature in simple langauge at a low price. In fact it was a move proposed by Fr. Don Peter as far back as 1978.

It released 35 booklets from 1991 to 1995. Some of them repelled the arguments of fundamentalists as well as that of Catholic priests who caused confusion within the church.

Fr. Don Peter managed to get foreign funds for the project and made those booklets available at a nominal price around Rs. 10. However, the church authorities paid scant attention to it. Later they disbanded the project and funds Fr. Don Peter got from abroad was used for some other purpose.

We could see fundamental Christian sects going from house to house and distribute their literature so that even Catholics are lured by them. The church spends so much money on film festivals and Rupavahini presentations. Is not the faith of Catholics more important than those secular activities? Or is the church serious in its opposition to the fundamentalists?

Fr. W.L.A. Don Peter was never shaken when he was denied the post of Archbishop which he so richly deserved. He was very close to Apostolic Pro-Nuncio at the time, but Fr. Don Peter never influenced him to stake his claim. He was really upset when they disbanded Daham Sarana Institute, he so enthusiastically set up. Since then we could see Fr. Don. Peter was not the same dynamic personality he was and he never recovered from the shock for the rest of his life.

Fr. Don Peter was a fearless personality who expressed his views loud and clear.

The renowned literati Martin Wickremasinghe was a close friend of Fr. Don Peter because of their common interest on indigenous culture. Nevertheless in a series of articles in Dinamina, Fr. Don Peter entered into a controversy with him. He never hesitated to protest against International schools despite the fact some Catholic dignitaries too were involved in setting up them.In his writings Fr. Don Peter highlights the impact of Catholic institutions on education, culture and morals of people. He believed that there is not better way to propagate religion than by holy life, exemplary behaviour and example.

Fr. W.L.A. Don Peter, as a man of God always projected a spiritual outlook in religion.

He never transgressed on things where angels feared to tread. His every endeavour as a scholar, educationist, writer and administrator was in harmony with his priesthood.

He was a true representative of the Christ and good Shepherd who could lead and guide the laity.

(The writer is a former High Court Judge and Vice President of the Newman Society Alumni Association).