Top amongst our list is the illustrious Joseph Peter De Fonseka (1897 – 1948), eminent author, lay OMI and a Papal Chamberlain.
J P De Fonseka was essentially an essayist and one of the greatest English writers of Ceylon, and undoubtedly our greatest Catholic writer. He is on par with the best of English essayists like Charles Lamb, E.V. Lucas, G.K. Chesterton or Hilaire Belloc. In fact he was natured in the Chester-Belloc school of writing.
J P’s articles have appeared not only in the local journals but also in foreign ones as well; such as the New Review of India, the Catholic Digest of America, the G.K’s weekly of London.
As Fr. Justin Perera has said, there never can be another J P De Fons. As a professor of English J P bestrode the corridors of St. Joseph’s like a colossus. More-over he had the rare honour and distinction of being a lay OMI and being called to be a papal chaimberlain; for his intelect was ablaze with heavenly thought.
Leonard Obris, From the Preface to the book ‘Select essays and verses of J P De Fonseka’, 1988.
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| J. P De Fonseka | J. P By Collete | J.P by A.C.G.S Amarasekera |
He wrote like an angel
The hand that held my pen became another’s,
And every word it wrote was touched with flame.
Much nearer to my heart than any brother’s.
And fashioned for imperishable fame.
This hand reached down from Heaven – or so I dreamed –
To change the water of my words to wine:
A wondrous brightness in my words now gleamed,
And a new rhythm beat in every line . . . .
My lean wit put on weight, my bitter taunts
Were turned to kindness, and in a trice
I joined two giants in uproarious jaunts’
Whose pens were shining swords assailing vice.
They both were Angels of a mighty girth,
Their laughter shook the vault of Heaven and fell
In thunderous waves of music on earth,
And doubt’s dark demons trembled deep in Hell,
One Angel bore a banner: “G. K. C.”
The other was his friend our own “J. P.”
Hilaire Janz
(Blue and White, 1949).
Excerpts from the book, ‘Selected essays and verses of J. P. de Fonseka’
But it was almost childish that he accepted the honour of being made a papal chamberlain. J P cherished this gift from His Holiness above all things, and was eagerly preparing to go to Rome to be a chamberlain in fact and thus be near the Holy Father.
And now he has his heart’s desire, for, from above he will be able to do more for the Holy father and for the Church and for all of us than he was ever able to achieve while on this earth. May his spirit live with us for ever.
Fr. Peter Pillai O.M.I, J P De Fonseka and the Chestor-Belloc school in retrospect,
Blue and White 1949.
He had an infinite capacity to laugh at himself, particularly his great girth and other curicaturable features. He shared many jests with Chesterton, E.V Lucas, A.P Herbert and even Bernard Shaw. There was a delightful documentary evidence in his little house off Havelock Road of these intimate contacts with the famous.
Let us briefly review the contents of the full and happy life of this great good man. Outshining nearly every other student at St Joseph’s College in his day and being cricket captain as well; obtaining the highest university degrees; becoming an advocate, but refusing to practice as he much preferred to teach and write; on friendly terms with famous literary men in England; editing Chesterton anthologies; a Papal Chaimberlain and Honorary Oblate of Mary Immaculate; a professor of English; a Doctor of Letters, and above all a true friend; a large hearted man and one who indeed filled a large place in our cultural life. We should not willingly let his memory die.
Hilaire Janz, J P De Fonseka , A Tribute. Ceylon Fortnightly Review
“The mouth of the just utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart, and his footsteps shall never waver”.
May your footsteps never waver, dear Mr. De Fonseka, they have reached the threshold of the City of God.
For the rest, I am and remain,
Dear Mr. De Fonseka, and my Dear Sir,
Your friend and beneficiary,
Fr. Justin Perera, An Epistle to J P de Fonseka, Blue and White 1948.
The Ceylon Catholic Messenger, of October 1926 which carries a review of the Blue & White magazine of St. Joseph’s College, touches on how J. P. then the English master of the school, facilitated in getting two contributions from the world famous author Walter de la Mare. This would have been a first for a school in Sri Lanka to have contributions from the world’s literary giants.
“He has been enterprising too in securing two ‘Lyric Gifts for Blue and White’ from Walter de la Mare. It is in fact due to Me. de Fonseka’s enthusiastic pursuit of all things literary that Blue and White and with it St. Joseph’s College have got into touch with some of the most eminent of English men of letters such as Chesterton and Belloc.”
The Ceylon Catholic Messenger, Tuesday October 5. 1926
Noel Crusz, now residing in Australia, reminisces about Christmas days of old in his recent article speaks of the ‘lustre’ added by J.P. to his Christmas.
“I am reminded of J.P. de Fonseka who gave lustre to Christmas writing. He edited the Christmas issue of St. Mary’s parish bulletin in Bambalapitiya. He wrote: “St. Thomas Aquinas theology avoids the Christmas cake and wine and toys and crackers and family reunions of children and parents… He considers the mystery of the GOD man, without whom the Christmas wines rejoice not and the crackers crack in vain.”
Noel Crusz, CHRISTMAS IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS IN CEYLON (2003)
The above tributes and essays have been taken from family documents, magazines and the book ‘Select Essays and Verses of J P De Fonseka ‘ compiled and published by Leonard Obris, of Waikkal (1989).
