Tributes | Sunday Observer

Tributes

10 December, 2017

Dr. M. Ganesaratnam

The hospital was his second home

October 2 records your demise, a General Surgeon

With a kind heart and fingers golden.

Hailed from Ariyalai, you willingly studied medicine,

And reached the top as a renowned surgeon, we’ve seen.

Served in Colombo, Jaffna, Matale and so on

With great enthusiasm, devotion and dedication.

You made the hospital your second home,

And successfully performed surgeries of any form

Acquired an Honorary PhD, which you deserved

For the invaluable medical and surgical services rendered.

Humble, simple natured and the contribution to surgery,

Your name should be written indelibly in history.

The human qualities, love, honesty and kindness,

Embodied in you clearly showed your greatness.

You’ve given more of yourself and it’s sure

Your name and fame will last forever.

K.K. Arumainayagam.


Fr. Mike of Buttala lives on…

Continues to inspire

On November 10, 1987 at 7.30 p.m, a shot was fired in Buttala! The life of Fr. Mike was brutally terminated! It is thirty years since that dark evening. And yet, Fr. Mike lives on with even greater vitality and vibrancy in the hearts and minds of those who knew him, those who had heard of him, and those who continued to be inspired by him.

Fr. Mike’s vision of the Kingdom of the poor is rooted in the heart of the Paschal Mystery; his message to the world on Justice and Truth and the equality of all persons including the most vulnerable and marginalized, his eco- friendly outlook on Nature and Mother Earth, continues to ring out loud and clear even today.

Despite the passing of years, the spirit of Fr. Mike, the strength and power of his life, his commitment, and the nobility of his message of justice and truth, compassion and equality, continue to inspire the nation. Thus he truly lives on.

Bishop Vianney Fernando, a couple of days after the demise of Fr. Mike, had this to say:

“I knew Fr. Mike since I was a young seminarian. Having just returned after his doctoral studies from overseas he was assigned to teach Psychology at the National Seminary.

I happened to be among the first group of seminarians he taught. We loved his lectures. He was an excellent teacher, an intense person in whatever he did…. In the aftermath of the liturgical renewal launched by Vatican II, Fr. Mike spearheaded in Sri Lanka the implementation of the Conciliar reforms in liturgy. He responded with vigour and zest to the needs of the day as he perceived it.

“When my predecessor, Bishop Leo Nanayakkara took over the newly carved out Diocese of Uva, Fr. Mike followed him.

A new awareness was coming upon him. Preferential option for the poor began to be recognized as an integral part of the task of evangelization. Fr. Mike again responded with zest and zeal, and profound faith.

He opted out from his teaching career to be with the poor, entering into a dialogue of life with the poor peasants.

“He opted to be with them to support them in their struggles. Above all, he understood the deepest meaning of his ministerial priesthood as taking on the “SERVANTHOOD OF THE KINGDOM”, following his Master and Saviour Jesus Christ. When threatened by forces that militate against such an option he carried on undaunted. Finally, he was brutally murdered.”

Thank you Fr. Mike, for bringing light and life to us and to our families, nay to our whole village. As you have enlightened and inspired us thus far, may your spirit continue to live on among us.

I salute you with deep respect and gratitude!

(Maduri)

Sr. Milburga Fernando

 


Prof. Mohan Munasinghe addresses at Korean National Assembly

Prof Mohan Munasinghe, co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize for Peace, was warmly welcomed by the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, Sye-Kyun Chung, when he delivered a keynote speech on implementing sustainable development to members of the National Assembly in Seoul, Korea.

Prof. Munasinghe’s Sustainomics methodology has been successfully implemented by Korea since the 1990s in their green growth development model. They were keenly interested in the new approach of balanced inclusive green growth (BIGG) proposed by him, to implement the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The meeting was also attended by high level Korean officials, senior UN officers and diplomats.

Prof. Munasinghe handed over a personal greeting from Karu Jayasuriya, Speaker of the Sri Lanka Parliament, to the Korean Speaker; as well as a signed copy of his latest book on Sustainomics. This event coincided with the state visit of President Maithripala Sirisena to Korea, celebrating 40 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea. Prof. Munasinghe also delivered a plenary keynote address at the major international conference on Smart Technology for Sustainable Development attended by thousands of Korean high tech. companies.

He is Chairman of MIND and the MIND Group in Colombo, Chairman of the President’s Expert Committee on Sri Lanka 2030 Vision, and Distinguished Guest Prof at Peking University, China. 

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