TOWARDS THE PETERITE CENTENARY – 6TH RECTOR – REV. FR. CLAVER PERERA (1975-1976)

Today being the 18th of October and only 15 months away from celebrating the centenary of our beloved Alma Mater, as undertaken, we bring to you a few details of another Rector.

Having written about the Pioneering efforts of Rev. Fr. Maurice Le Goc who was responsible for starting the College as St. Joseph’s College, Colombo South, the 1st Rector of St. Peter’s, Rev. Fr. Nicholas Perera and the longest serving Rector, Rev. Fr. Joe Wickremasinghe, we write today about Rev. Fr. Claver Perera, the 6th Rector, who served for a short period of two years (January 1975 – December 1976). So why write about him one might ask. Fr. Claver qualifies to have special mention as he was the first Peterite Rector to head this prestigious institute.

The following is based on the eulogy delivered on 16th October 2010 at the grave site at Fr. Claver’s funeral at the Borella cemetery by another distinguished Peterite, Mr. Geoferry Alagaratnam PC, a past President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka.

Mr. Alagaratnam said “As a Peterite and as the only Peterite Rector, Fr. Claver made us proud. Not because we had a Peterite Rector or because he was Rector, but because in all who came to know him, he had the ability to change their lives in sublime ways not thought of as possible.

Many have gathered at the grave site at his funeral, whose lives have been deeply touched in their interaction with Fr. Claver and this excerpt from a poem on death written by him expressed the thoughts of many “Love does not guess its depths until the time of parting comes, deep secrets unexpressed, no hint of dawn in twilights nor renewal of treasured dreams”.

The world is filled with silences that treasure what might have been. Most of us know that from his early days his goal and objective in life was to be a priest of God. Having gone through University education, graduating with an English honours degree he did not waver. He wholeheartedly committed himself to God by going through his priestly formation both in the National Seminary of Our Lady of Lanka and at the Propaganda Fide College – the papal seminary in Rome.

He became well known as one of Sri Lanka’s best singers and for having given many generations of Peterites and seminarians the love of music, the theatre, literature and the arts which impressed and motivated many of his students and friends, making him human to some.

Fr. Claver’s artistic richness made him exacting and demanding for extreme perfection – something that made his charges uncomfortable at times but truly grateful for they realised that they should reach higher than they could grasp, if they were to achieve something meaningful. “A man’s reach should be higher than his grasp, otherwise what’s a Heaven for”, he would teach them. He also taught that holiness and saintliness does not usually come overnight but by years of endeavour – years of ups and downs by striving and never giving up, that to be saintly is to be deeply human with the love, understanding and patience of God which only comes from being anchored to God.

He would often choose the words of Cardinal Newman: “Keep thou my feet, I do not ask to see the distant scene, one step is enough for me.” In this sentiment he always imitated his Italian professor in encouraging those around him to take life and its challenges, little by little.

He taught them to love nature as St. Francis of Assisi did. Perhaps in him was a modern prophet in the cause of love of the environment and its protection. His love for plants, animals, all of nature made others close to him say, yes, it’s a wonderful world.

He was uncompromising on standards and values, both ethical and moral, whilst yet being understandingly patient and sometimes personally troubled by the frailties some around him and that confirmed to them that he was truly human and a good man. He was not ashamed to let those close to him see himself human but showed how they could still be true sons of God committed and unwavering in his journey in the love of God. He inspired and touched the lives of many and many were never the same after they met him. In him, they experienced God and His love.

Geoffery’s final words were, “may we spread your love and pass It on … and, as we say goodbye though memories may fade and your vibrant laugh and impish smile may become a thing of the past, deep down we will, in the heart of our beings, remember you by what you stood and lived for which is now a part of us. You’ve strived, struggled and lived for us to be better human beings, lost in God and his love, and love for our brothers, and God’s creation. On the long journey of our lives towards heaven and the yearning how long will we need to get there, you said, Is the journey long or brief? The haven near or far? It doesn’t matter, though: The oarsman knows the hour … Yes, the hour has come, the oarsman has decided. Who are we to say otherwise? Farewell, Father Claver and till we meet again.”

(We thank Mr. Alararatnam for giving us permission to publish the above)