Oswald Gomis
Encyclopedia
Oswald Thomas Colman Gomis (born 12 December 1932) is the former Roman Catholic  Archbishop of Colombo and he is the current Chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...

 of the University of Colombo
University of Colombo
The University of Colombo is a public research university located primarily in Colombo, Sri Lanka...

. Msgr. Gomis' previous post was as the Bishop of Anuradhapura having been appointed in 1996. He was also the Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo from 1968 to 1996. He formally relinquished office and retired on 5 August 2009.

Early life

Born on December 12, 1932 in the Gampaha District
Gampaha District
- Local Authorities in Gampaha district:Gampaha is the District Capital of Gampaha District and is a principal town around Colombo. It is about 4 km from Miriswatte on the Colombo - Kandy Road.- Urban Councils :* Katunayake-Seeduwa * Ja-ela* Wattala...

 of Kelaniya
Kelaniya
Kelaniya is a small town near Colombo, Sri Lanka in the Gampaha District. It is known for the Buddhist temple built on the banks of the Kelani River, which runs through the town...

, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...

, Gomis attended St. Joseph's College
St. Joseph's College, Colombo
St. Joseph's College is a Catholic educational institution in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was established in 1896 by French missionaries, with Rev Christopher Ernst Bonjean playing a leading role. The college has over 4000 students with a staff of over 200...

 and then entered the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...

 in 1950. He was ordained priest on February 3, 1958. He received his Episcopal Ordination on 17 July 1968. He has held several posts during his service in the Archdiocese, such as, Lecturer at St. Aloysius' Seminary, Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...

 from 1958 to 1960, and Director cum Editor of the Catholic Press, Colombo from 1961 - 1968.

Social work

In order to assist children from villages outside Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...

 he has been instrumental in founding various branch schools in the outer districts affiliated with the main colleges in Colombo. He has been involved in various aid schemes for the poor; construction of houses for Tsunami victims, relief and rehabilitation work, and a scholarship programme for children affected by the Tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...

 in 2004. He has also donated a health centre to his hometown of Kelaniya
Kelaniya
Kelaniya is a small town near Colombo, Sri Lanka in the Gampaha District. It is known for the Buddhist temple built on the banks of the Kelani River, which runs through the town...

.

Branch schools founded
  • St. Peter's College, Gampaha
  • St. Peter's College, Udugampola
  • Holy Cross College, Payagala
  • St. Joseph's College, Enderamulla
  • St. Joseph's College, Kadolkele
  • Loyola College, Bopitiya
  • Christ the King College, Weliweriya

Archbishop

On 6 July 2002, he was appointed Metropolitan Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...

 of Colombo by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...

. He was installed as the Archbishop on 27 July 2002. Following his earlier appointment as the Secretary General of the Asian Bishops' Conferences, he was reappointed in the same year. He was also appointed by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...

 as a Synodal Father on 8 September 2005, and has met with him on 2 May 2007 to discuss the civil war situation in Sri Lanka. He is also the 3rd Archbishop of Colombo that is Sri Lankan, as following the erection of the Diocese by Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI , born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari, named Mauro as a member of the religious order of the Camaldolese, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1831 to 1846...

 on 3 December 1834, all Archbishops until 1947 had been of foreign heritage.He retired on 5 August 2009.

External links

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