My Tribute to Napoleon Pathmanathan

Napoleon Pathmanathan is one of our faculty on Colombo Theological Seminary (CTS) celebrates 20 years of ministry and his birth day on this week. He began his ministry in 1988 as a pioneering lay worker in the North and East of Sri Lanka with the indigenous Anglican Inland Missionary Society (AIMS). I remember how he and his wife Priya, went to the war-torn area as a newly married couple. In those days, war was in full-scale and their dedication made it possible to start and strengthen the frontier ministries in north and east. Later he joined CTS and became the first batch of graduates to passed with B.Th. After completing postgraduate studies at the Evangelical Theological College of Wales, Glamorgan, Napoleon joined CTS as full-time faculty becoming the first alumna to joined as faculty. I had the great privilege of knowing him as a student, lecturer, fellow faculty, colleague and dear friend.

2001 he was instrumental in starting an extension program in Jaffna peninsula, in the very heart of war-zone, enabling many Pastors from Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Vanni districts to learn theology after 17 years of deprivation by war. His shear persistence made it possible to carry the good work, while other educational ministries dwindle due to the increasing danger for the lives of visiting faculty. 2007 they held their first graduation awarding 11 diplomas, 8 Stage 2 certificates, and 7 Stage 1 certificates, which was the first-ever such graduations in the area of theological studies after 25 years. He translated many books to Tamil and he is the only full-time faculty for Tamil vernacular stream in Colombo Seminary.

Although I couldn't join the lunch today (which I do desire most) because of the geographical distance, I join with all our faculty and staff to wishing you happy birthday and to share my joy for the two decades of dedication to the blessed ministry back home.

Napoleon I salute you!!!