The death of Rev. Fr. Douglas Amaratunge on June 1, 2009, after a brief illness was sad news and a great loss to his near and dear community and to us the Amaratunge family
Fr. Douglas as we used to call him, with so much of love and affection, was a devout and committed priest of the Anglican Church.
As a parish priest in charge of Churches in the Colombo suburbs including Sri Jayawardanepura Kotte, etc, he served men, women, children and elders of the Christian faith delivering moving and interesting sermons and finding redress for their grievances.
Christians who lived in the areas he served in sought his advice when they were in distress. Fr.Amaratunge’s call to the Ministry with the Anglican Church took him to Calcutta to get more training in the Theological College.
His dream was to serve the people and his family through God’s love. He believed people should see each other as reflections of God’s image.
He saw with the eyes of Christ that the largest field of charity outside the Church was the social field and he unhesitatingly took measures to help the needy.
Let’s bring, he said, a little sunshine and splendour into the lives of the people, by feeding, healing, soothing, and caressing them.
He sacrificed his life for the betterment of his five sisters who lost their parents when they were young.
He was a father, mother and brother to all five sisters including me. He looked after us with great love and care, taking full responsibility of the family. My brother Douglas was a bachelor.
Though he is no more, he lives in our hearts and is remembered with love and gratitude for all he has done for his five sisters. The emptiness that I experience by his demise is at times unbearable.
May his soul rest in peace
Nita (sister) |
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