My FormationThru Bishop Emilianuspillai English

As a late vocation I have gone through priestly formation with the help of many priests in seminaries in Jaffna, Kandy and in Rome. I am thankful to all of them. But I am in a special way indebted to Bishop Jerome Emilianuspillai OMI, the 1st Tamil Bishop of Jaffna, who helped me choose this priestly vocation, provided all avenues to help me, sent me to Rome, followed me closely my growth to priesthood and guided me with fatherly trust and affection during my 1st phase of priestly ministry.

When I look back to my life as a young student undergraduate, legionary lay apostle, teacher, seminarian, young priest it has become very clear that Bishop Emil played a key role in shaping and forming me, not so much by talking but by example of his life in forming me.
Only late in life I have realized with gratitude how great a man he was.

As my appreciation I have asked that the monthly help I give to victimized children at Pampamadu be in honor if Bishop Emilianuspillai. Like his patron St. Jerome, Bishop Emil was a lover to help poor children.

Having lived under 3 of his successors - auxiliary bishop L.R. Antony, Bishop B. Deogupillai and Bishop Thomas Saundranayagam, I appreciate Bishop Emilianus for his human kindness, farsightedness and prudence.

I came to know him during my days of entering the University of Colombo. My father was an employee as English compositor at St. Joseph's Catholic Press earning a poor salary to educate 4 children. Without any help from others, he had toiled hard. But when I passed out first in the whole island in the SSC and thinking of going for a job, the College gave me double promotion and exempted me from paying facilities fees. When I got admission to the University  in Colombo and had to pay hostel fees of Rs. 220 my father asked for a loan promising repayment. Bishop agreed. At the end of my career at the university and started teaching at Sacred Heart College in May 15th 1958, I paid a monthly Rs.25, to the then Procurator Fr. Brohan omi. Later when I resigned and decided to be a priest, in 1962 I stopped paying. Bishop readily  helped and was prudent in asking me to go and teach before I clearly decide about my vocation. As a brother at the Kandy seminary and at Valalai, I saw how the bishop had a fatherlz love and care for the seminarians, especially when they are sick.

As a youngster I had received 1st Holy Communion and Confirmation from the last missionary Bishop Guyomar OMI in the old St.Mary's Cathedral, Jaffna. During upper-school days as a legionary visiting Fr.Michaelsamy omi, his secretary, I have seen the Bishop but did not have a chance to talk to him.

When I got admission to the University of Colombo in 1954, my father had not the financial resource to pay Rs 220/ - per term (10 weeks) as hostel fees. As a worker at the Catholic Press of the diocese, he approached the Bishop for a regular loan promising to pay back after my completing studies.

1958 just 3 months before my final exams., Fr.Eladio Neirs OP, the warden of the Catholic Hostel at 90, Havelock Rd. Colombo, noting my regularity with church practices and active involvement in the Legion of Mary as well as in the Catholic students Federation, he suggested half jokingly to become a preacher, meaning his dominicn order OP.That set me thinking, writing home, getting blunt refusal etc. But I persisted and persevered with God's help.

Because of opposition from the family, Bishop Emilianuspillai asked me to go and teach. Fr.Ponniah, general manager of schools, offered me Sacred Heart College Karaveddy. I started teaching there on the 15th of May 1958. I was travelling daily from Jaffna to Karaveddy and I spent the evening mostly visiting priests and doing legion apostolate and also studying Latin. But the brokers of marriage came up with proposals. I decided to go away from Jaffna to Mannar to save my vocation. Hence from Jan 1959 I was a teacher at St.Xaviers College Mannar. I was soon elected as president of the Mannar Senatus of Legion of Mary. For spare time job I took up a job as Mannar Correspondent for Lake House papers in Colombo.

I kept up my desire to join the priesthood. During my stay in Mannar, Father Gunaseelan was Parish Priest of Nanattan. As president of the Mannar Curia, I used to visit Nanattan. He showed some of his parish churches and was encouraging me to join the diocee of Jaffna instead of becoming a Dominican. Finally he set up a meeting for me with Bishop Emil after the August 15th Madhu feast and procession. After the procession I recited 3 rosaries at the portico and then went to see the bishop. I stood next to a pillai for over 2 hours. Every 5 mts he will put me a qurstion and when I answered he will go into the church and then come back again with another question. All questions were about mz change of mind not to become a Dominican but to join the diocese or about mz no knowing latin etc. Finally I left for Mannar without a clear reply.

Then came the government take-over of schools. I campaigned against take-over bz organising meetings. With the take-over I was transferred to Erukkalampiddy Muslim Maha Vidyalaya. I resigned went to Jaffna and stood before the Bishop to take me into the seminary. He said you go to St,Martins seminary, staz there learn latin and teach at St.Patricks. I obeyed. Only during free perios I could get the help of Mr. S.F.Santhiapillai and of Mr. FNC Saverimuttu. A few months later I passed the latin exam and went to Ampitiza for my first year philosophy. At  the end of my 1st year, came the news through Fr.Sackett the rector that I was proceeding to Rome the following year.