The Late Bishop Leo Nanayakkara

It was the year 1958 when the Rt. Revd. Dr. Dom Leo Nanayakkara, O.S.B. was ordained Bishop of Kandy at the College Grounds. It came as a triumph to

St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota because he was one who had been closely associated with the school.

Bishop Leo spent the full period of his priesthood at St.Anthony’s. During almost the whole of this period, he was in charge of the Rainbow Cottages, the bewildering cluster of buildings, which housed the younger boarders of the College before they graduated into the Intermediate Section, The Mansion. Here he played a triple role in one-as-Father, Mother, Nursemaid all rolled into one. He had to see that the little boys were fed and washed and carefully looked after.

During the day the Bishop taught in one of the classes and during his last few years at St. Anthony’s supervised the work of the Primary School as Headmaster. All this work was hard enough but the task was made more difficult by the added responsibilities of looking after the College Estate and the labour force and, for some time, even supervising the work of the College kitchen and large section of the Upper School.

In spite of these arduous tasks, the Bishop found the time to read the Sinhalese and Pali classics and pass his Intermediate Examination before his degree before his election as Bishop. He also found the time to associate on the fondest terms with members of the College Staff and actively participate in the life of the Teachers’ Guild. Bishop Leo was keenly interested in College games and was an unfailing spectator at every important cricket, soccer, or rugger of the College. His main sporting interest was Tennis, where one would often see him play tennis at the Tennis courts between the Mansion and the Study Halls. He did have a mean serve and forehand.

At the time of his appointment as Bishop he was a dynamic element in the life of the College. When Bishop Leo had to leave St. Anthony’s, he felt strongly the pang of wishing goodbye to the boys he loved and the teachers who had become his close friends. Even during his regime as Bishop, he always had the interest of the school at heart and even kept in touch with staff, former students of his and their families.

(This article is an extract from the 1959 Antonian Magazine, courtesy Willie Weerasekera, Perth. Photo’s courtesy of Avishka Mario Senewiratne and Victor Melder)

( The end photo – from L to R – O.S.B priests in College in the 1950s&60s – Frs. Bruno, Hilderbrand, Rudolph, Bishop Leo, Frs. Robinson, Lanfrank and Columban Macky)

(Note: Three of these priests were Principals of the College at a given time – Frs. Rudolph, Robinson & Macky)