Exploration of Catholic priesthood through a personal journey
“Vinividimi Kandaveema” (Priesthood, A Mystery Unveiled): a biographical journey of Rev. Fr. Camillus Fernando, written by Ajith Mendis, was launched earlier this week at St. Peter’s College. The event brought together clergy, academics, and well-wishers to celebrate the life and service of Father Camillus.
The book describes the life of Father Camillus and also explores the vocation of Catholic priesthood and the values which he feels should guide a priest: accountability, obedience and character. It also delves into several issues, such as the evolving role of priests in modern-day society.
Presenting the book to Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith
Speaking at the event, Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri praised Ajith Mendis’s style of writing and said he felt privileged to have come to know Fr. Camillus closely in recent years. He also shared an anecdote of how Fr. Camillus first came to the priesthood. As a young man, he was invited by a priest to attend a seminar. Mishearing the word, he went home to seek his parents’ blessing, and came back declaring, “Father, I am ready to join the seminary.” Startled, the priest explained that he had meant a seminar, not the seminary. “But in the end,” Prof. Dharmasiri recalled with a smile, “he attended the seminar and also joined the seminary.”
Addressing the gathering, Chief Guest, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith paid tribute to Fr. Camillus’s decades of dedication, noting that “he committed his life and did a great service to the country.”
Fr. Camillus, said the book was not simply about his personal journey but about God’s grace. He emphasised that his loving and nurturing family, teachers, and all those who walked with him through his life must also be remembered and credited. “This evening, I feel more than joy, I feel gratitude to God who is the author of every vocation, gratitude to the church which nurtures the vocation…” adding that the book is about the mystery of the vocation and describes the values which he feels all priests should live by.
“Vinividimi Kandaveema” (Priesthood, A Mystery Unveiled) is priced at Rs. 950 and available at the Catholic Bookshop in Borella.
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