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by W. T. A. Leslie Fernando

The death anniversary of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody, the well-known Catholic priest, musician, poet, lyricist, writer, author, journalist patriot, falls today. On this occasion I would present fascinating memories of my association with Fr. Marcelline Jayakody, who was a household name in our country.

We were children when in 1940s and 1950s, specially around Independence, Fr. Marcelline Jayakody presented some magnificent hymns like "Ronata Vadina Bingu Obay", "Nelum Pipeela Pethi Visireela" and "Suvanda Jale Pipi Kumudiniye" with a national flavour. Those wonderful hymns with their superb lyrics, sweet music and national sentiments captivated the hearts of all. They were appreciated even by non-Catholics.

Being a small boy, I had no idea of the niceties of the lyrics, spiritual aspects and cultural adaptation of the hymns of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody. Nevertheless I was thrilled by the fantastic melody, simple language and the local setting in them.

In no time these hymns became popular in churches. They became a must in church feasts and ceremonies to give them the festival atmosphere. Even today most of the popular hymns sung in churches are compositions of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody.

I could remember Sunday Observer conducting a poll to select the leading personality in the film world in 1956. From the beginning Fr. Marcelline Jayakody was found leading because of his fascinating lyrics for songs in "Rekawa". Fr. Marcelline Jayakody who did not want to take any undue credit made a declaration that he only wrote the lyrics and it was Sunil Santha who set the music for them. But that did not make any difference.

We as young students sent in our votes too in favour of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody and in our youthful exurburance were highly taken up by his sincerity. At the end Fr. Marcelline Jayakody won the poll defeating such stalwarts in the Sinhala cinema like Rukmani Devi, B. A. W. Jayamanne, Laddie Ranasinghe, Sirisena Wimalaweera and Mohideen Baig.

Since then I developed a fancy for hymns poems, lyrics, articles and other works of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody, whose prose was poetry and words were songs. Being a Catholic priest amidst so much humbug and hypocracy he was truthful, upright and outspoken. An exponent of indigenous culture, he was a patriot beaming with national consciousness. I began to admire and idolize him.

On December 1970 on the arrival of Pope Paul VI to Sri Lanka, Fr. Marcelline Jayakody wrote a beautiful set of verses full of national flavour. In late 1970s I was the chief patron of "Sama Mihira" a popular Christmas annual distributed free. I wanted to re-publish the verses in the "Sama Mihira" and liked to change one word in a verse to make it relevant to a subsequent issue.

When I met Fr. Marcelline Jayakody for the purpose, he politely declined my request and instead wrote a different set of verses for the magazine. When it was published in "Sama Mihira" it was much acclaimed. Since then I was able to get prose or verse contributions often from Fr. Marcelline Jayakody and they adorned the magazine. He was so kind to oblige me with illuminating articles for some other magazines as well.

In 1989 I wrote an article to both the Catholic and secular press for the 150th anniversary of the Duwa Passion Play. In that I highlighted that the fame of Duwa Passion Play spread far and wide after Fr. Marcelline Jayakody revised, re-casted and re-orientated the Passion Play in 1939 and since then it was considered as the greatest Passion Show in Asia.

Fr. Marcelline Jayakody was so considerate to write to me appreciating the article. That inspired me to write about Fr. Marcelline Jayakody who was the proud boast of Catholics as a national artist.

In 1990, I wrote an article on Fr. Marcelline Jayakody to the "Messenger" the Catholic weekly for his birthday on June 03. In that article I described the damage done to the hymns of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody in some cassettes by noisy interlude music, drowning of superb lyrics, horrible and irritating singing out of tune. I made a request to Church authorities to take some measures to stop this stealing and commercialisation. Fr. Marcelline Jayakody while thanking me for the article wrote to me that the Church authorities are not concerned and they would not do anything about it. As expressed by Fr. Marcelline Jayakody nothing came out of my agitation.

Next year I wrote an article about Fr. Marcelline Jayakody to "Daily News" for his birthday. This article was published in the leader page of Daily News" on June 03, 1991 as the main article. On that day President R. Premadasa had visited Fr. Marcelline Jayakody with birthday presents. Fr. Marcelline Jayakody complimented me saying "Your excellent article brought no less a person than the President of Sri Lanka to my doorstep."

The article I wrote in 1992 for his 90th birthday was published in the "Sunday Observer". It had been re-printed in a journal in USA. An American lady who had seen the article had come in search of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody when she came on a tour in Sri Lanka. Fr. Marcelline Jayakody related the story to me with so much pleasure.

In 1993 I wrote an article on Fr. Marcelline Jayakody for his birthday relating the victimisation and harassment inflicted on Fr. Marcelline Jayakody by the Church authorities including some incidents he had personally conveyed to me. This article was published in the "Daily News" on June 03 as the main article on the leader page, with a large photograph of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody taken on the previous day.

I was wondering whether it had embarrassed Fr. Marcelline Jayakody. To my relief Fr. Marcelline Jayakody wrote to me "I saw Fr. Marcelline Jayakody featuring in the middle page in the "Daily News". Thank you very much. Your article looked like a statue cut in marble with every detail faithfully recorded. Your pen is shaping well." Need I say how happy I was?

Every time I wrote on Fr. Marcelline Jayakody he has something new to remark. On one occasion he wrote to me "I read your article. Due to our traditions nobody else cared. It took a District Judge to pronounce a judgement just and fair. Thank you again and again".

What he wrote to me on another occasion was "It was most kind of you to have taken the trouble to write so well and comprehensively about me. I hope and pray that the devil's advocate may not cross your path as he crossed your father's path. You are a Catholic writer who dared to present the truth". What a compliment indeed!.

In 1993 I was appointed to the Catholic Union of Sri Lanka, which is supposed to be the strongest lay organisation of Catholics. As a dissenter in Catholic circles, I was hoping to voice my views on affairs of the Church. When I conveyed the happy news to Fr. Marcelline Jayakody, he was sarcastic and said "You won't stay there long". The words of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody were prophetic. After some time I got disgusted with the set up there and quietly moved out of it.

At the annual general meeting of the Catholic Writers' Association in 1995 I delivered the keynote address "The Role of the Catholic Writer in the Modern Crisis" . IN this address I surfaced the degeneration that has set about in the Catholic Church and the sex wave spreading so fast among the Catholic clergy. I made an appeal to the Catholic writers to use their talents to set right the Catholic Church from the present crisis. The meeting was presided over by Rt. Rev. Dr. Frank Marcus Fernando, the Bishop of Chilaw.

My address was well-acclaimed by the Catholic writers and once I concluded the speech there was a thundering applause from the audience. Many Catholic writers surrounded me and congratulated me. Some presented books written by them to me and others posed for photographs with me. They got me to distribute some prizes and I was praised by the thanksgiving speech. I remained there till the meeting was over and everything ended on a happy note.

However, within a couple of weeks things took a different turn. The powers that were in the Church affected by my speech carried out a sinister campaign and I was informed that at a later meeting Catholic writers had condemned my speech.

I sent a copy of my speech to "Gnanartha Pradeepaya" the Catholic Sinhala weekly but the editor refused to publish it. Later the speech was published in "Iakbima". Thereafter there was a letter in "Lakbima" and a host of letters in "Gnanartha Pradeepaya" ridiculing my speech with personal abuse, calumny and vilification hurlled at me. I replied in both the journals.

How did Fr. Marcelline Jayakdoy analyse the whole episode? He wrote to me "Your arrow has piecered them and they are groaning". How well he presented everything in just a few words!

Fr. Marcelline Jayakody wrote a marvellous Foreword that enthraleed the readers to my first book "Reflections on a Changing Society". When I presented him the first copy in 1997 he remarked "All this time you were appreciating my contributions. I am happy that I lived to admire your work" with tears in his eyes. He passed away after a couple of months in January 1998.

Towards the end of 1997 the Rupavahini Corporation filmed a program under the title "Daye Hapannu" on Fr. Marcelline Jayakody. For this Fr. Marcelline Jayakody had indicated that I was one of the persons who could speak about his life and achievements. At that time I was serving as the High Court Judge, Ampara. The Rupavahini Corporation waited till I came down to my home town to film my role. This program was screened immediately after the death of Fr. Marcelline Jayakody and it was appreciated by all.

When Fr. Marcelline Jayakody was called to rest on January 15, 1998 I went to the chapel of Archbishop's House in Borella to pay my last respects. There I found his body lying as if he was living. In an article on Fr. Marcelline Jayakody that was published in the "Daily News" on June 03, 1995, I wrote "His face is radiant with inner joy arising out of a contented life". I saw the same face in his body as well.

In my leisure I recall the memories of my association with Fr. Marcelline Jayakody with pleasure. I have preserved all the letters he has sent me and they are a treasure to me. I consider it a great achievement to have enjoyed the cordiality and compliments of the genius, Fr. Marcelline Jayakody. 

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