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| Thursday, 27 January 2005 |
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Rev. Osmund Welikala - he followed the Good Shepherd It was on January 31, 1905, that my father the late Rev. E. O. P. Welikala (fondly known as Ossie) was born in the village of Talangama.
His two sisters and five brothers who have all passed away followed in the footsteps of their parents using their talents to serve the community in different ways. They all looked to him with affection and respect as a guiding light in family matters. The eldest, CCV (Vinnie) was the engineer in charge of Colombo Waterworks, A. H. N. (Noel) was the first Radiologist in Sri Lanka and a cancer specialist of international standing, JLO (Owen) was the Principal of Deaf and Blind School in Ratmalana, GHF (Bertie) was an Economist and Director of Rural Development. His sisters were Violet Cooray and Joyce Hettiarachchi. Driven by his faith and high ideals he loved and accepted people for what they were. He put his faith and ideals in what he did for others a few of which I recall as they stay vividly in my memory. He was the Vicar in St. Andrews, Gampola from 1945 to 1949. I remember the devastating floods of 1947 which rampaged Sri Lanka submerging Gampola, covering the bridge over the Mahaveli on the Nuwara Eliya road. He could not swim. However with a group of few dedicated volunteers he constructed makeshift boats made from the trunks of banana trees and went on the swirling waters rescuing stranded people, most of who were on the rooftops of their homes. The homeless were housed and fed in the vicarage premises. A flood relief organisation was formed which included Sir R. S. S. Gunawardena, Badiudin Mohamed (later Minister of Education) and other leading citizens of Gampola. At the inaugural public meeting an attempt to attack Badiudin Mohamed was made whereupon my father who was on the stage, physically restrained the attempted attackers risking his own safety. Fear was something not known to him. From 1949 to 1966 he was the Vicar of All Saints' Church, Galle and Rural Dean for the Southern Province. The communal riots of the 1950s saw his character come to the fore again. Displaced Tamil families (mainly professionals) were temporarily housed in Southlands College, Galle Fort. Anti-Tamil sentiment and fear stalked Galle. The refugees had to be fed. He went round the town collecting food and water for the refugees. This was frowned upon by the mobs who told him that if this was done by anybody else they would have forcibly stopped it. This did not bother him. He carried on regardless doing what he felt was right. He was a friend to all. I know of countless people who turned up in our house seeking his help in their time of need. In illness, death in family, prison, he was present to give a helping hand. If there was a death in a family he would personally handle matters, go to the Registrar's office to get the Death Certificate, help with funeral arrangements etc. apart from giving spiritual comfort. Although many of the leading parishes in Colombo wanted him he continued to serve the Southern Province where he, apart from managing the church, managed the church schools, orphanages and lands. In the last years of his ministry he continued at Talangama where his father ministered. He had green fingers. Wherever he went he planted trees, flowers and vegetables. People passing by St. Matthews Church, Talangama, seeing the flourishing vicarage garden used to remark that if all people in Sri Lanka were like 'Father Welikala' it would be a land of plenty. He was always supported by my mother Milfred (daughter of the late Mudliyar Wickramaratne and Mrs. Wickramaratne) in his work. She was an ideal priest's wife. My father was one of a rare breed who could move with rulers and the humble and poor. He was a true patriot of his motherland who lived his live in practical, simple ways with love for his fellow human beings. He passed away in 1971 fighting his last illness bravely. His life was an inspiration to us all. May his example light generations to come. As we celebrate his 100th birth anniversary he is blessed with him children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. - Priya Welikala. |
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Produced by Lake House |
The second son of the late Rev. Don Louis Welikala a pioneering
missionary of the Church of Ceylon and a well-reputed Sinhala scholar and
Dona Catherina (nee Colombage), he chose to follow in his father's
footsteps choosing the humble vocation of priesthood, serving
humanity-family, friends, church, society and country with idealism,
dedication, enthusiasm and a practicality which I was privileged to
observe from close quarters as his eldest son.
