New Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel

S. Thomas’ College Old Boys’ Association of NSW/ACT, celebrates the consecration of Rev Kanishka Raffel as the new Anglican Archbishop of Sydney on 28 May 2021.

This is the first time in the history of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney that a non-European has been chosen for this leadership role. In a recent program on his appointment, the ABC notes that the diocese is the biggest in Australia and arguably one of the most influential in the global church.

Kanishka was born in the UK and is of Sri Lankan heritage. He subsequently migrated to Australia with his parents when he was seven. His father died soon after and the family moved to Sri Lanka for a couple of years, returning to Australia when he was nine. During this time Kanishka attended S. Thomas’ College Mt Lavinia from mid 1973 to mid 1974, a short but significant part of his secondary education of his school life that Kanishka has not forgotten.

In recent years, as the Anglican Dean of Sydney, Kanishka has been a strong supporter of S.Thomas’ College OBA here in Sydney, NSW.

In 2016 Kanishka made time in his demanding schedule to be our guest of honour, along with his wife Cailey, at the Annual Thomian Carol Service, “A festival of Nine Lessons and Carols” where he delivered the Christmas message.

Link – 2016 Carol service

Kanishka was also instrumental in enabling us to invite the outgoing Archbishop Glenn Davies to be the guest of honour in 2018 at the Tenth Anniversary Carol Service held at All Saints Church Parramatta.

Link – 2018 Carol service

When the OBA decided to inaugurate a “Feast of the Transfiguration” service in Sydney in August 2017, Kanishka keenly supported the idea by hosting it at St Andrew’s Anglican Cathedral in the CBD.

Link – Feast of the Transfiguration 2017

In his message making a connection to his Alma Mater, S.Thomas’ College, he said, quote “ at St Thomas’ College Mt Lavinia I spent over an year between 1973 and 1974 enrolled as a student. I have to say it was a very bittersweet time in my life following the death of my father at the beginning of 1973 here in Australia he died at the age of forty-two. I was eight years old and in the aftermath of his death my family relocated for a time to Sri Lanka for half of that time my mother was back here in Australia and I was living with relatives. It was a poignant time of my life, and I was grateful for the friendship and companionship of some of the boys and the tenderness and understanding of some of the teachers. I don’t remember the deputy Headmaster’s name, but I remember he was not very tender or understanding. After lunch we would make our way upstairs past his office and they would inevitably be a long line of boys outside his office waiting for something I didn’t know what it was until I joined them. But as you can see, I have survived” unquote

Link – Transfiguration sermon 2017

Kanishka has always acknowledged his Sri Lankan background. After the tragic events in Sri Lanka in Easter 2019 He conducted a special Service of Commemoration for Sri Lanka at

St Andrews Cathedral on Saturday 27th April 2019, in which he invited the STCOBA to participate with members of the Thomian Choir.

Link – Special service of commemoration after Easter bombing

In the ABC program, towards the end of his interview, Kanishka notably said that he wants to be committed to the freedom of others to practice their own religion, as he is to his own.

S.Thomas’ College OBA, NSW/ACT, wishes Archbishop Kanishka a rich and fruitful tenure and looks forward to our continuing friendship with him in the years to come. Blessings Kanishka!

(Contributions by Kumar Rasaih & Eksath Perera )

Links on Archbishop Kanishka’s appointment:

Sydney Anglicans

Link – Introduction to Kanishka Raffel

Link – Like every Christian, I gladly trust in Jesus.

Eternity News

Link – Why they picked Kanishka Raffel as new Sydney Anglican Archbishop