She was such a force and she reached so many!

Sr. Milburga Fernando

“For God is self-emptying love who is enfleshed in the neighbour, through whom God becomes really present.” – Fr. Michael ‘Mike’ Rodrigo, OMI

It feels absurd writing this now that she is gone. But my grief also feels absurd if I do not channel it into something useful, as Sr. Milburga Fernando would have done. I wish you had all known her so you, too, would have this beacon of service to emulate, to remind you that you can always be doing more for others.

Sr. Milburga was a Catholic nun in Sri Lanka of the Salvatorian congregation. I would call her an activist though I’m not sure she would – she was involved in the people’s struggle, but that was her acting naturally on her Christian calling. She lived in service of others and nothing was too daunting or too small to act on. She would be out and about working at a structural level, openly dissident of political and religious leaders, researching and writing for the public, but also made time to photocopy an entire book because one girl in rural Buttala needed it for her upcoming O/Ls.

Sr. Milburga had accompanied the Catholic martyr, Fr. Michael Rodrigo, when he set out to work in Buttala. I imagine Buttala is grieving her. Kanya D’Almeida has also written a beautiful tribute to her. If you come across research and writing about Fr. Michael Rodrigo, know that she was a major reason all of it is available. She was such a force and she reached so many. But there is hardly anything written about her because she minimised herself, erased herself from the grand narratives – she was only ever there to serve. In that, she embodied perfect Christliness. While Christians are called to be Christ-like in our actions, we would all benefit from being more Milburga-like in our lives. Rest in power sister. May perpetual light shine upon you.