Bens to restore clock tower

St.Benedict’s College

‘LET’S RISE TO REIGNITE A LEGACY’ is the call going out to all Benedictines, as the Old Boys Union of St.Benedict’s College launches the CLOCK TOWER RESTORATION PROJECT on December 12 (Sunday) with a simple ceremony beginning with Holy Mass at the College Auditorium. Steeped in over 120 years of history, the Clock Tower Building holds within it’s pillars a memory for every Benedictine, young and old.

The Clock Tower Restoration project aims to restore the elegance and the beauty of this iconic building. This building is the legacy left behind by Rev.Bro.Cassian of Jesus (formerly Joseph Perumal), an Old Benedictine and one of the first Ceylonese to join De La Salle Order, which took over the management of St.Benedict’s College from Benedictine Fathers in 1868. Rev.Bro.Cassian remained at St.Benedict’s College throughout his entire religious and teaching career spanning 42 years from 1870 to 1912. The restored building will be dedicated to the memory of this most revered Christian Brother, who already has a HOUSE named after him. All Cassianites will be delighted to learn of this praiseworthy project.

There lies a very interesting story about the Clocks that adorn this building. It was a gift from Mr.A.N.de Silva in memory of his father Philip de Silva, former Registrar and President of St.Lucia’s Cathedral and Mupu of St.Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade. History records that Mr.A.N.de Silva and his wife had come to St.Lucia’s Cathedral for an important wedding anniversary of theirs and found the Cathedral Choir nowhere to be seen.

Seeing their discomfiture, the good Brothers of St.Benedict’s led by Bro.Remegius filled the void. Extremely pleased with their kind gesture Mr.A.N.de Silva personally expressed his thanks to the Brothers and inquired of Sub Director Bro.Cassian as to how he could repay their kindness. The resourceful Bro.Cassian pointed to Clock Tower Building sans clocks. It wasn’t too extravagant a request for the great man. He brought down the clocks all the way from Paris.

An initiative of the St.Benedict’s College Old Boys Union, the Project Committee is chaired by the distinguished and loyal Old Benedictine Rohan de Silva, Chairman of Mclarens Group of Companies with Priyal Perera, General Secretary of the SBC Old Boys Union and Roshan Samaratunge, Treasurer of the Interim Committee of the SBC Welfare Society serving as Secretary and Treasurer of the project. Technical Services are provided by Design Professionals Chartered Architects and the project is expected to be completed in 9 months.