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| Tribute The Souvenir of his Sacerdotal Ordination carried a quote, "I am what I am by the Grace of God - a Priest for ever". It lasted only 18 years when he was granted special dispensation to marry in the Church the beautiful woman Marie Tirzah many years younger than him, one who cared and inspired him and was always at his side in all his endeavours. She was a tower of strength to him for 46 years. An Old Boy of
St. Peter's College, Noel served on their tutorial staff and also
at St. Joseph's College, where he was called the Bing Crosby - Hollywood
Padre. At St. Joseph's he was the master-in-charge of the Film Society and the Music Art & Drama Society when I was the President of both. He directed a film "Little Bike Lost" a 16mm send up of De Sica's "Bicycle Thieves" made by the students of St Joseph's with girls from Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya. The film which was Co - Produced by Lalin Fernando and me, won wide acclaim. It was shown to London audiences too and the "British Amateur Cine World" carried an article under the caption "Crusader with a Camera" In Colombo, The Premiere of "Little Bike Lost " & Award presentation was attended by the then Prime Minister S.W.R.D Bandaranaike his wife Sirimavo Bandaranaike and their children Sunethra, Chandrika and Anura. Mrs.Bandaranaike gave away the prizes. Noel held a BA from the University of London, MA from the University of NSW and a Diploma of Education from Armidale NSW and Fordham University USA. He was trained at the BBC London and broadcast on London's Home Service Programs and from Radio Eireann, Hilversum, Cologne and Berne. He was a newsreader for Vatican Radio and had broadcast on the Voice of America. In Sri Lanka he was a Director of Radio Ceylon, Catholic Hour Programme, produced Radio Features, Plays, Interviews and was Script Writer for the Government Film Unit's weekly film news reels. As a journalist,
Noel worked for the Sun Weekend Group of newspapers and the popular
column "Norexa" was his creation with his friend and editor
Rex de Silva. The story of Noel's life and struggle was also told powerfully in his widely read book "The bells of silence". I had the rare privilege of proposing the toast at his 75th surprise birthday party organised by his erstwhile friends Lalin & Carmen Fernando. I remember well the speech of the man who gave Noel a flying start when he migrated to Australia in 1974. He was Bro. Bernard Bulfin, Principal of the Patrician Brother College who in spite of the Catholic Church banning ex-priests from teaching in Catholic Schools gave him his first teaching post at the College in Blacktown NSW. Bro. Bernard referred to him as a "Wonderfully dedicated teacher for 17 years, a model and guide to staff and the thousands of Australian Youth". Another speaker Allen Giles who sponsored Noel & Tirzah to Australia said, "Their story is a success story of what migrants have contributed to this Country". When Noel attended
my installation as the 39th President of the Lions Club of Bankstown
- District 201 N5 Australia, he wrote to a Sydney newspaper, "For
me it was with pride that I saw my pupil Harry whom I taught at
St Joseph's College, receive this great distinction from one of
the world's largest service organizations". He leaves behind
his loving wife Tirzah, sisters Noeline & Yvonne, brothers Rienzie,
Maxwell and Jerome, the late Prof. Hilary and Vernon pre deceased
him. |
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