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| Mr Renton G aloysius renton_a@hotmail.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mr Manoraj Antonipillai angelo@ecosse.net | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mr Kandiah Ariyaratnam sackaaeu@yahoo.co.uk | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Mr Ramesh Vethanayagam Vethanayagam.Ramesh@dixons.co.uk | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I happened to read the letter send by you to the Old boys living abroad calling them to meet you on 6th June or to contact you to discuss about the development of the college with reference to your visit to our college.
I wish to send you greetings from here for your initiatives and endeavours
in the direction of developing our college. I hope the OBA there will give
you full support and encourage you.
I wish you all success. May God bless You.
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05/06/04 08:37 AM
Dear Ari Ariyaratnam, I received your mails. I usually send mails from Jaffna, as we don't have this facility in Kayts. So excuse the delays. And I also bring these emails to the notice of Fr.Jesuthas. I usually don't send attachments.
The prize day was celebrated on 7.7.04. It was celebrated well. Rev.Dr.Justin B.Gnanapiragasam was the Chief Guest. We don't have founder prizes but some old boys like Mr.B.Anchelo helped us to give some simple prizes to students. We would like to organise them next year. Please encourage the old students to cerate founder prizes.
I will inform about the challenge set by Stanley to the students. Usually we work out the Athletic meet in February. So we will be able to do it next year and there are talented students in the College. Four of them are going to participate in the Provincial level meet shortly.
Thank you for your effort.
Winston Navarajah
Farewell To Our Former Principal
It was with full of sadness we bid farewell to our former principal late Mr.S.A.E.Ratnarajah on the 24th May 2004. On hearing the message of his
demise, Fr.Rector and I were the first to be there. The college was closed
half day on the 22nd may 2004 as a mark of respect and Rector , staff and
students went to his house and paid their last respect. The old boys and
people of Kayts wanted to bring the remains of the departed principal to
the College, for which he devoted most of his life time, on the funeral
day to pay their last respect. Rector agreed to their request and made
necessary arrangements to enable the college community and the people Kayts
to pay their last respect at College main hall. The students in a cycle
par! ade brought the remains to the college.
The College band received it
at college entrance. Rector and students paid tributes. Later the body was
taken to the Karampon St.Sebatian's Church, where rest of the life was
spent. The remains was kept at the Grotto and a tribute meeting was held
and Mr. B.Angelo presided it. Later it was laid in rest at St.Sebastian's
cemetery after the mass at the Church. The College band led the funeral to
the cemetery from the church.
The college is preparing to celebrate the College day on the 13th June 2004. The OBA at Kayts is organizing its function at low profile in memory of the departed former principal. The Prize Day is scheduled to be held on 7th July 2004. An all rounder will be selected soon as the "Antonian of the year" on the basis of his achievement on Studies, sports, involvement in other co-curricular activities and his services towards the College.
Last year except the gold medal given by the South Ceylon branch, no other cash prizes were given to the students. They were given certificates, medals and cups only.
But this time we are trying to give prizes worth minimum five hundred rupees. Then only the students would be motivated towards their studies. As in other schools, we don't have founder prizes and we are planning to start one this time. Your support on this matter is very much appreciated. If you happen to meet Old boys who wish to donate funds in memory of someone whom they loved very much, please encourage them to contribute to this fund.
It can be organized in many ways. One is to make a fixed deposit in a local bank and instruct the bank to pay the interest to a saving account operated by the school. Then it could be given every year in the name of the benefactors or his nominee.
The district level P.T. Competition is to be held on the 9th June 2004. Our team is coached by Mr. Thambithurai, a former P.T.coach from Illavalai St.Henry's. Rector has taken immense trouble in organizing the practices. He is very optimistic that we will get a place in Provincial Level which we lost last time due to some trivial matters. Zonal level athletic meet was worked out on 3rd & 4th June and we are the champion this year scoring 181 points and Nainativu Ganesha in second place scoring only 106 points. We are the relay champions and earned 56 points which gave us a strong position.
Putting up of a semi-permanent building for the "Christhu illam" in the Bishops land adjoining the College is in progress. It is not an easy task for the Rector to shoulder many responsibilities but he is managing with the assistance of the Priest given by the Bishop to assist him. Rev.Fr. S.Rajitharaj who was serving at our college has been transferred to St.Henry's College and Rev.Fr. Soban is appointed to his place. In district level our under 19 volley ball team won 3 rd place and in badminton under 19 team also got 3rd place and this is the first time we entered the Badminton tournament in district level.
It is speculated that the college community may not have the privilege to enjoy services of the present Rector for too many years in the future. Hence it is better to expedite the foundation work of rebuilding the College for its former fame and glory. In achieving this goal, support of the people like you is very important.
Teacher shortage still exists in our college and we are pressing the department to appoint new teachers. In the meantime, we are managing with volunteer teachers. We will get an Audi visual room this year. The department has selected a classroom and will modify the room into an audio visual room. Equipments like a multimedia projector would be ideal for this room to enable the poor children to get access to new teaching materials available in CD form. Rector might have told you about it when you visited the school in March 2004 and please give importance to this matter.
Back to topSpecial General Meeting - 10th July 2004
Dear Friends,
A Special General Meeting has been called to discuss some of the urgent and importnat issues pertaining to the association and all the members are invited to attend.
Date: 10th July 2004
Time: 2PM
Venue: 32 Elm Grove, North Harrow, Middlesex HA2 7JE
Gerard TIMOTHY
Hon Secretary
Demise of our former Principal Mr S A E Ratnarajah
Dear Friends,
"It is with great sadness we break the news of the demise of our former Principal Mr S A E Ratnarajah. Our heart felt condolences to his family andfriends. He is at rest with Lord Jesus. May his soul rest in peace. Thefuneral will be held in the family crematorium and the date will benotified later."
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Visit to my old School
Dear Friends,
On 23rd March 2004, I had the opportunity to visit my old school, St Antony’s College, Kayts, Sri Lanka, after 23 years!
The college was founded in 1872 by Rev. Fr. Boisseau, who had a vision for the children in this northern village of Sri Lanka. His work received the blessing of his episcopal superior, the vicar apostolic of Jaffna, the Rev. Fr. Christopher Bonjean.
On my visit, I learned of devastating hardships that the school had undergone during the civil war in Sri Lanka (1983 – 2003). The school was bombed in 1990. In 1997, temporary repairs were made to the badly damaged buildings, and St Anthony’s College put its foot back on its soil to celebrate its 125th anniversary with pride. Many people, including a large number of children, have lost limbs due to landmines. Many children are orphans. Many are psychologically scarred.
The new Rector of the school, Rev.Fr. J. A. Jesuthas has a vision for the future of the school. He also runs an orphanage in this war torn area, which houses 54 children. They currently live in temporary accommodation. They require a place to sleep at night. With that in mind Rev. Fr. Jesuthas has a plan to build a hall of residence for the orphans, with basic facilities.
For the last year or so, the LTTE and the government have agreed to have a cease-fire, and the people in that area are beginning to rebuild their shattered lives.
The following are some of the projects and appeals outlined by Rev. Fr. Jesuthas:
- Hostel facilities for 100 students
- Electric water pump
- Underground tank for drinking water
- Furniture
- A Type tables
- A Type chairs
- Classroom cupboards
- blackboards
- Payments for six volunteer teachers, an illustration - (£25.00/month/teacher)
- Volunteer teachers from abroad to teach English
- Laboratory facilities for A level science students
- Mathematics facilities & equipment
- Recreation facilities e.g. basketball court
- Quarters for staff
- First Aid facilities
- Computer & IT facilities & Books for the library
Rev. Fr. Jesuthas told me that any support for any of these projects would be greatly appreciated.
Since visiting my old school after a spell of 23 years, I have made a conscious decision to help in the efforts of the school in supporting Rev Fr Jesuthas. I would like to share the following biblical quote with you:
“ You can tell what they are by what they do...” Mathew 7:16 CEV
Real servants make themselves available! They don’t get tied down to pointless stuff that limits their availability. They are ready to jump into service when called on.
Are you? Can God mess up your plans without you becoming resentful? As a servant you don’t get to pick and choose where or when you will serve.
You need to remind yourself at the start of each day that you are first and foremost God’s servant; that way interruptions won’t frustrate you because your agenda will be whatever God wants. Listen; “As we have opportunity, let us do good… especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10 NIV). Did you notice these two things: 1) Unmet needs you see are blatant opportunities to grow in servant hood 2) God says the needs of your spiritual family are to be given preference, not put at the bottom of your “to do” list.
A great servant is both sensitive and spontaneous, having a real sense for what to do and a real understanding that great opportunities pass quickly, sometimes never to return. Listen: “Never tell your neighbours to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now” (Proverbs 3:28 TEV). John Wesley said, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can”. Look out for small tasks that nobody is doing. Do these little things as if they were great things – because God is watching!
Bible-in-a-year: 2 Chronicles 27-28 ACTS 12
I have been in communication with the present SAC Old Boys Association’s President and the secretary (Philamin and Basil) and I am told that they would be interested in meeting on the 6th June 2004 in London. I have taken the liberty to arrange a venue for the 6th June 2004. The name of the venue is Trinity United Reformed Church, Hindes Road, Harrow HA1 1RX (http://www.trinityharrow.org.uk/find.htm ). The meeting will start at 2:00pm sharp and hopefully finished by 4:00pm. I would appreciate if you could attend the meeting as this is an opportunity to organise a St Anthony’s College Alumni Association in the UK (SACKAAUK) to help the school in its endeavours.
If you are interested in supporting or interested in discussing any of the issues, please contact me via email: sackaauk@yahoo.co.uk
Look forward to your support in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Ari K Ariyaratnam
Back to topEMAIL: sackaaeu@yahoo.co.uk Registered as a Charity in England and Wales Registered Charity Number: 1106466 |