| by S.J.Emmanuel
( January 20, 2013, Pretoria - South Africa, Sri Lanka Guardian) News of the death of Rev.Fr.Tissa Balasuriya O.M.I reached me here in Pretoria, South Africa almost the same day, as the break-down in relations between a democratic parliament and the Judiciary took place in Sri Lanka. His death seems to coincide with the fatal blow to democracy and rule of law for which this religious priest lived and campaigned for. (Once before, in 1981 when the Jaffna Public Library was burnt by the Sri Lankan Forces stationed in Jaffna, Rev.Fr.H.S. David, a great Tamil scholar succumbed to a heart attack)
I had known Fr.Tissa from the beginning of my priesthood in Jaffna in 1967, learnt a lot from him, admired his initiatives in encouraging the Church of Sri Lanka for truth and Justice and suffered with/like him from spies and careerists in the church. I mourn the death of a great religious, priest and a prophetic gift to the local church. Unfortunately we have not listened to him well but despised and tortured him to the point of excommunication from the church. He and his team of lay devotees labored day and night grappling with the socio-political issues facing the country as a whole.
I am proud that Fr.Tissa had his early education at St.Patrick’s College, Jaffna and later at the University of Ceylon, Gregorian University in Raome and at Insitut Catholique in Paris. As a young priest disciple he was close to Very Rev.Fr. Peterpillai O.M.I., Recor and Founder of the Aquinas University in Colombo. He was editor of the “Social Justice” and wasFounder-Director of the unique Centre for Society and Religion in Maradana, Colombo. I say unique because after missionary period of the church in which the Church and Christians distanced themselves from social and political engagements, courage and vision was needed to lead a centre like that. In the post-Vat.II period his work came to be appreciated by wider circles of religious, social and political leaders. It was a hive of many activities – lectures, seminars, discussions over a variety of topics participated by many decision makers in the capital. Travelling from Jaffna and Kandy, I too was a beneficiary of his vision and work.
And as soon as I went from the National Seminary of Kandy to Jaffna in 1986 as Rector of the major seminary in Jaffna, I too started a similar centre at 115, Fourth Cross Street, Jaffna, called the Centre for Better Society. It was under the patronage of Bishop Deogupillai, Bishop Ambalavanar, Nallatheena Kurukal and the Principal Of Osmania Muslim college in Jaffna. A Tamil monthly called Puthiya Ulagam (new world) went out from the Centre with the intention that all three religions must serve man. It served also as a platform for visiting Sinhala leaders to address the Jaffna public. The booklet titled Church, Politics and War in Sri Lanka, which I published from this centre in 1994 was welcome and distributed by his Centre
After the Black events of 1983, the Catholic Bishops of Sri Lanka with the help of Father Balasuriya prepared a Pastoral Letter, took it to Pope John Paul II and got his encouraging support to stand with the Bishops on their campaign for human rights and a federal solution for the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka. Although all bishops were signatories to the Letter approved by the Pope, it was translated into Tamil but not immediately into Sinhala because a priest had written to the Conference saying that it was mostly the work of Father Balasuriya. His publication of the booklet Mary and Liberation was a good commentary on the Magnificat of Mary and an impulse for women liberation. But again he was reported to Vatican and consequently an “excommunication” from the church followed. I am sad to say, that neither the Bishops Conference, nor the Oblate Congregation fought for his innocence. Till the excommunication was withdrawn, he suffered. Bishop Rayappu Joseph of Mannar and mysef were close to him in this period. I had the privilege to speak in support of him in many circles including the University of Tübingen, Germany. There was world-wide protest against his excommunication.
He was for many years the General Secretary and moving force for the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians (EATWOT). His theology was popular and inspiring for a large number of third world theologians. I had taken part in his meetings at Katuwapitiya his ancestral house and later at the world Conference of EATWOT at Wennapuwa. Bishop Leo Nanayakara of Badulla and Bishop Wickremesinghe of Kurunegala were very supportive of his efforts. He wrote many articles against injustices done to third world countries by colonial rule and colonial churches.
Here is a rare religious priest of Sri Lanka, not well understood or appreciated but rather made to suffer by betrayals and accusations. In the context of all that we have suffered and lost with regard to multi-ethnic and multi-religious relations on that island, and with the tragic turn of events with regard to democracy and rule of law in the country, his death must awaken in all of us, especially among the leadership of the church, a serious examination of conscience in listening to prophetic voices and standing up for human and social values in the name of Jesus Christ.
May God reward this servant of God and son of Mary for the courageous witness he bore in their names.
 News of the death of Rev.Fr.Tissa Balasuriya...){kind=link}