Prominent Aloysian Priests-Late Jesuit Era

 Courtesy L. K. Hettiarachchi /Friends of SAC Galle Photos 1950/1960 Fr. Angele was Prefect of Discipline in the1950s. He looked tough but rarely showed his toughness as one look by him was enough for students to maintain silence at the morning parade.  Later, he managed the financial affairs & also assisted Bro. Van Lierop at the  College Stationery Depot.

Photos/Courtesy : L. K. Hettiarachchi /Friends of SAC Galle 1950/1960s photos Rev. Fr. De Mattia, born on 26 Oct. 1905 had entered the Jesuit Order on 25 Jan. 1926 & obtained his ecclesiastical degree in 1937 along with Fr. D'Amelia. He had arrived at SAC in 1938 & served the College thereafter in various capacities as a teacher of Religion, Latin,  Science etc & Prefect in charge of Sodality, First Aid etc.  His greatest contribution was in the field of First Aid in addition to his religious duties. Fr. De Mattia was later made a Serving Brother of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, an honour bestowed on him by Queen Elizabeth II  of England. First Aiders received training & qualified for certificates & awards of the Brigade, throughout the years. Awards granted to First Aiders around 1955 are as follows: He was a mild mannered, loveable & popular priest.  

 Courtesy : L. K. Hettiarachchi,  Friends of SAC Galle Photos 1950/1960s "MORELLI, REV. FR O. s. J., was ordained Priest in the Ga11e Cathedral in November, 1945. Along with Fr De Burra he was very happy to see a big number of Old Boys coming all the way from Colombo to assist at his day of days. Fr Morelli is at present at Yatiyantota and feels himself an exile for his heart is at S. A. C. We fervently hope to see him on our permanent Staff in the near future. " Rev. Fr. O. Morelli S. J. was Rector of SAC from 9.10.1952 to 8.2.1960 & again from 4.5.1969 to 1.7.1971. He did much to encourage sports in the college , while being mindful of all other activities & maintaining the highest standards. He was extremely popular among the staff, students, parents & old boys. The Old Boys Association deserves praise for undertaking to construct the Morelli Stadium in Fr. Morelli's honour. Picture below shows Fr. Morelli with Fr. Peter Gomez, Principal Illeperuma  & ...

Fr. Basil Corera S. J. Courtesy : Aloysian Centenary Souvenir Dr. V. Venkateswaran recalls: "Fr. Basil Corera, a dynamic tall athletic Jesuit, was our class teacher (Form 1A) who had studied for his BSc at St Josephs’ in Trichy, India. Given half a chance he would wax eloquent how St. Josephs’ was 10 times the size of our College. We were not impressed. But he was proved correct; fifteen years later when I went to Trichy and saw the institution.  After morning prayers he would sit down, take out a wooden block, place the watch on it and start the class. For a whole year for literature we studied “Wreck of the Schooner Hesperus” It was a nightmare.  At the end of the class he’d take out a roll of paper, roll out a cigarette, tie his watch and when the bell rang light his cigarette.  During the hot afternoons we would go down to the graveyard behind the cathedral, sit on the headstones and have our literature class taken. Later on, classrooms were built here. But we were p...

 Courtesy: L. K. Hettiarachchi / Friends of SAC Galle Photos 1950/1960s "Born in Italy on 25/9/1913 Admitted to the society of Jesus (Naples) on 10/6/1933 Set foot on shores of Ceylon on 10/12/1938 Together with Fr Morelli, his bosom friend he was sub-prefect of boarders at SAC till 1943. After his ordination to the priesthood, he came back to SAC to which institution he remained attached not only physically but with heart, mind and emotions till his return to Italy in 1966., where he died in 1980. (Photos and data - Courtesy: The Aloysian magazine)" According to Eric Ferreira who wrote the article on Music & Drama in the Centenary Souvenir, Fr De Burra made a significant contribution in this area, after his arrival in the late 1930s: - he formed the Chromonica Band which consisted of 20 players & it functioned for several years; it was revived in 1959. - he was the Choir Master of the College Choir which consisted of 100 to 150 boys. - he was away for several years t...

  Article by Sumithra Gunasekera Courtesy : L. K. Hettiarachchi, Friends of SAC Galle Photos 1950/1960s ( Aloysian- magazine) THE 27th of May 1965 was a sad day for the people of the Galle Parish and my family in particular. The tolling of the Church bells announced the death of Rev. Fr D'Amelia who had been ill for sometime at St Michael's Nursing Home, Colombo. Rev. Fr D'Amelia has gone to his reward after working for a period of 35 years in the vineyard of the Lord. I came to know him as a child. He was very fond of the little children, and took pleasure in presenting them with sweets, holy pictures and medals. When I saw him for the first time I got frightened because he was very big, tall, broad and with beard. I ran to my mother in fear. Fr D'Amelia smiled and called me and my sisters. We came out with our mother. He was very fond of us. He liked children in particular and every child in the Parish began to be fond of him. He was the Parish Priest of St Mary'...

 Introduction Fr. Aloysius Peiris had his primary education at a school in his home town, Kandy, & was admitted to St. Aloysius College, Galle in 1949, at around the age of fifteen. He resided at the College Boarding House as well as  St. Xavier's Seminary at Kalegana. He came under the  spiritual influence of  Rev. Fr. Vito Perniola S. J. , the Rector &  Rev. Fr. Aloysius De Mattia S. J. . Fr. Perniola , may also have influenced Fr. Peiris to specialise in Oriental Languages & engage in the study of Buddhism. Fr. Peiris was a few years ahead of us at the College, but he was well known to us as students, because he used to carry away most of the prizes in his class at the Annual Prize Giving. Fr. Peiris sat for the Senior School Certificate examination & the London General Certificate Examination - Advanced Level & passed with several distinctions. Fr. Aloysius Peiris S. J. at SAC He entered the Jesuit Order in 1953/54 & left for India. H...