Diocese of Ratnapura Sri Lanka

Bishop Cletus Chandrasiri Perera O.S.B.

Bishop Cletus Chandrasiri Perera O.S.B was born on Sept. 6, 1947 in Seeduwa, in the archdiocese of Colombo. His parents are Joseph Eliot Perera and Kovilage Roslyn Silva. He has a brother elder to him and a sister and a brother younger to him. He was ordained a priest on Aug. 4, 1973 and was ordained Bishop of Ratnapura on July 11, 2007 in the Basilica of the 12 Apostles in Rome. He was installed as the third bishop of Ratnapura on July 28 in Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Ratnapura.

Bishop Perera studied in Rome 1978-81 and obtained a Licentiate in Sacred Liturgy from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute at the University of St. Anselmo. He also served as the diocesan youth coordinator, the parish priest of St. Anthony's Cathedral, Kandy from 1992 to 1998. In 1984, he was appointed parish priest of Wahacotte in the central diocese of Kandy, where he later served as vicar general for eight years. As a priest, he worked on justice and peace issues and was director of the diocesan pastoral center, and general manager of Catholic private schools. He was the diocesan director of the Legion of Mary as well and was the Conventual Prior of the Order of St. Benedict (OSB) in Sri Lanka from 2002 till he was ordained. He has served Kandy diocese as the general manager of the Catholic private schools from 1992 and was holding this post at the time of his nomination as Bishop of Ratnapura. Bishop Perera is chairman of the Catholic National Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism and the Commission for Missionary Activity of Sri Lankan Bishops' Conference.

Article written by Dr. FR. Hari Haran

Full Name: Cletus ChandrasiriPerera O. S.B

Born: 06th September 1947

Birth place: Seeduwa

Parents: Joseph Eliot Perera and Kovilage Roslyn Silva An elder brother, a sister and a brother younger to him

School Education: Dhavisamara National School, Seeduwa

Philosophy, Theology: Our Lady of Lanka National Seminary, Ampitiya, Kandy Professed 28th February 1965 Solemn Vows 17th February 1971

Ordained as a Priest: 04th August 1973, St. Lucia’s Cathedral, Colombo by the late Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Paul Perera, Bishop of Kandy.

Studies: Licentiate in Sacred Liturgy from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute at the University of St. Anselmo

Appointments:

Asst. P. P at Wahakotte

Asst. P. P. at Rajagiriya

P. P. of Katugastota

The Parish Priest of St. Anthony’s Cathedral, Kandy (1992 -1998)

The Parish Priest of Wahacotte

Diocesan Director for the Legion of Mary

Diocesan Hospital Chaplain – Kandy

Vicar General for the diocese of Kandy

Served as a priest on Justice and Peace and Director of the Diocesan Pastoral Center, kandy

General Manager of Catholic Private Schools in Kandy Diocese

The Conventual Prior of the Congregation of Sylvesto-Benetine in Sri Lanka form 2002 till he was ordained as a Bishop

Chairman of the Catholic National Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism of culture, and of the Commission

Appointed as Bishop: 04th May 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI

Ordained Bishop: 11th July 2007, Basilica of the Twelve Apostles in Rome by Rt. Rev. Vianny Fernando, the Bishop Emeritus of Kandy

Installation: 28th July 2007, Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Ratnapura

“He then poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples and to wipe them with the towel that he was wearing” (John 13/5).

It is not easy to write in black and white or to narrate all the stories of a person at a stage where he has reached a remarkable milestone in his life. This is just an attempt to have a glipse of what the Lord Almighty God has achieved through his humble servant, His Lordship Rt. Rev. Dr. Cletus Chandrasiri Perera OSB, the Bishop of Ratnapura. With the same attitude and marvel of St. John in 21/25 with regard to the life of Jesus which goes as follows: “Jesus did many other things as well. if every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written”, we too see the work of God in the person of Bishop Cletus at this juncture where he, with a deep sense of gratitude celebrates his GOLDEN JUBILEEof his life as a priest. We all are sharers of the Common Priesthood. Some are called upon by the Church, the sacrament of Christ (LG1) to be Deacons, Presbyterers and Bishops (LG 28 & 29). Reaching fifty years in this sublime call to the ministerial priesthood is an uphill task. Paraphrasing with St. John, I would say that the ritual of the washing of the feet is incarnated daily by the person of the priest. He slowly pours out the water of the Word of God into the basin of the heart of People of God, washes the feet of the sins where it could be easily dirtied, wipes the tears with a compassionate love and cloths the wounds in order to bethe Samaritan of St. Luke. I think that His Lordship throughout his long servant-leader ministryhas made this a reality as Jesus exemplarily depicted at the Last Supper, instituting the Holy Eucharist.

Those members of the Holy Order are entrusted with the triamunere - three functions. In these remarkable years of the priesthood, His Lordship had the opportunity to exercise the function of munusdocendi - the office of teaching to its utmost. “Among the principal duties of bishops, the preaching of the Gospel occupies an eminent place. For bishops are preachers of the faith, who lead new disciples to Christ, and they are authentic teachers, that is, teachers endowed with the authority of Christ, who preach to the people committed to them the faith they must believe and put into practice, and by the light of the Holy Spirit illustrate that faith” (LG 25). He is highlighted for his monastic spirituality of St. Sylvester. He had conducted various retreats to priests, religious sisters, lay leaders and children throughout the Island. In predominantly Tamil speaking Dioceses such as Kandy and Ratnapura, he had reached the people from all corners and preached the Word of God to all walks of people. His formation in the matter of Liturgy has been an instrument where he was able to speak eloquently in the liturgical celebrations. As the Bishop of Ratnapura, while giving a prominent place for the spiritual formation of the priests, he had been a vibrant instrument in giving birth to 26 priests and has ordained them as his collaborators in his mission in the Diocese. “Priests, prudent cooperators with the Episcopal order, its aid and instrument, called to serve the people of God, constitute one priesthood with their bishop although bound by a diversity of duties. Associated with their bishop in a spirit of trust and generosity, they make him present in a certain sense in the individual local congregations, and take upon themselves, as far as they are able, his duties and the burden of his care, and discharge them with a daily interest. And as they sanctify and govern under the bishop's authority, that part of the Lord's flock entrusted to them they make the universal Church visible in their own locality and bring an efficacious assistance to the building up of the whole body of Christ. Intent always upon the welfare of God's children, they must strive to lend their effort to the pastoral work of the whole diocese, and even of the entire Church. On account of this sharing in their priesthood and mission, let priests sincerely look upon the bishop as their father and reverently obey him. And let the bishop regard his priests as his co-workers and as sons and friends, just as Christ called His disciples now not servants but friends. All priests, both diocesan and religious, by reason of Orders and ministry, fit into this body of bishops and priests, and serve the good of the whole Church according to their vocation and the grace given to them” (LG 28).

The on-going formation of the priests was his main interest. Therefore, he started to bring experts from all over and used the second day of the presbyteral meeting to update the priests.He sent many priests for higher studies and they have returned to Sri Lanka after their doctorates and licentiates which is a great investment on the theological point of view for the evangelization in the Diocese. Further, in order to reach out the youth through the language of English, he gave his consent, encouraged and was behind a group of priests to start an English Academy at Buluthota. His teaching concern was extended to the most marginalized of our Diocese. Looking at the difficulties and the quality of life of the people of the plantation sector, he took a keen interest to uphold the status of the school drop-outs of the estate Tamil speaking children creating a special apostolate.

The second function of a priest in which a Bishop could go to its’ heights is munussanctificandi - the office of sanctifying. “A bishop marked with the fullness of the sacrament of Orders, is "the steward of the grace of the supreme priesthood", especially in the Eucharist, which he offers or causes to be offered, and by which the Church continually lives and grows. This Church of Christ is truly present in all legitimate local congregations of the faithful which, united with their pastors, are themselves called churches in the New Testament”(LG 26).Realizing this utmost call as the Bishop in the Diocese, he collectively worked to construct a much-needed Cathedral to the Diocese. Though the Diocese was carved back in years,this ‘portion of the people’ did not have a suitable Cathedral with its’ own space and symbolic value. Though it was a difficult task, Bishop had the courage to start and to bring into completion the whole work of construction of the new Cathedral to the Diocese. Then, in this call of sanctifying the People of God, there was much need for a diocesan shrine. His Lordship took all the necessary steps to build a new shrine and promote it at a remote area like Thanjathenna. Further, in order to reach out the people of God and attentively administer tothem the sacraments he wanted to create new parish realities. In that process he gave birth to Galaboda, Ruwanwella, Hapurugala andThanjantenna as parishes or quasi parishes. Seeing the distances of the deaneries between Ratnapura and Kegalle, he fully supported and made a wise decision to carve a new deanery by the name of Seethawaka where priests could meet up in small groups and masticate the problems of the people in a detail manner. In exercising the function of munussanctificandi, he invited various Congragations such as OMI (Jaffna Province), OCD, Rogationist, MIC and Rosarian to practice their charisms to the portion of the people entrusted to him.

As far as the third function is concerned -munusgubernandi,His Lordship has toiled as a priest and as a Bishop to govern the People of God.“Bishops, as vicars and ambassadors of Christ, govern the particular churches entrusted to them by their counsel, exhortations, example, and even by their authority and sacred power, which indeed they use on7h ly for the edification of their flock in truth and holiness, remembering that he who is greater should become as the lesser and he who is the chief become as the servant” (LG 27).Seventeen years is a proof that speaks louder of his capacity of the administration and the consistency at a place. This Diocese practically suffered the sudden transfers of their chief shepherd. Being faithful to the ‘spousal ring’ was his utmost concern. Whenever a priest wanted, he gave heed. Being the SIMPLEST Bishop in Sri Lanka, he had time to listen even to the least of the People of God. He gave enough room for the young priests to be creative and take initiatives without fear and he always backed them when he is convinced of the proposal. When Pope Francis says that “what we are living through is not simply changes in the epoch but an epochal change’, it is also perceived that the administration is not a simple task. In spite all these challenges he kept his consistency in building the faith of each and every faithful who wants to follow Christ.

In conclusion, looking back at 50 years of the priestly ordination of His Lordship Rt. Rev. Cletus C Perera OSB, we can say that since Christ is the Light of nations, he attempted to reach the light through the cross as his heraldic motto goes on; per crucemadlucem.He dedicated his life with the power of the Holy Spirit, by proclaiming the Gospel to every creature, to bring the light of Christ to all men. Since the Church is in Christ like a sacrament or as a sign and instrument both of a very closely knit union with God and of the unity of the whole human race, he fulfilled in his own capacity the call that springs from her inner nature which is the universal mission of the Church. He understood the present-day conditions of the world and he added greater urgency to this work of the Church so that all men, joined more closely today by various social, technical and cultural ties, might also attain fuller unity in Christ.

So, we at this juncture while thankingfor the mirablia Dei or magnalia Dei that had been accomplished through the person of priest and bishop Cletus, we thank him for his dedicated serviceand for his great humanity. We wish him ad multosannos in life and in the service God. We pray that maythe good Lord keep him safe and sound and shower him the choicest blessing.