An evening in Sydney with Warden

With profound gratitude and sincerest admiration, we honour your extraordinary leadership and unwavering dedication as Warden of our beloved College, S.Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia. Your ‘ad astra per aspera’ spirit has guided us through challenges, illuminating the path to excellence with wisdom and grace. In recognition of your ‘magnum opus’, ‘we express our deepest appreciation for the indelible mark you’ve left on our hearts and minds. Your legacy of ‘excellence et humanitas’ will forever inspire generations to come. With utmost respect and best wishes for your future endeavours.

Esto Perpetua

Laus Deo

29th April 2024

“Warden, Sir; Gentlemen;

I am privileged. My association with Warden Marc began over 30 years ago when my nephew D.R de Silva spoke of his erudite History Master, Marc Billimoria Esq. My family and I took note, and watched admiringly, as Warden Marc went from strength to strength. Wardens of our experience, were mysterious figures who lived on a 'tower'...called Thalassa. The nearest we came to a face-to-face encounter was a stolen glance over the shoulder, as we braced ourselves for six rattan strokes on our behinds. I will ever remember Warden Marc for his accessibility and openness and his readiness to stoop low, when necessary, to give impetus to a worthy project. I remember in particular the 2016 Lenten Liturgy, which Mr. Roger Aldons, a Canon Roy Bowyer-Yin protegè, brought to the Chapel at STC in fulfilment of Father Yin's dream. Warden Marc and the late great Vinodh Senadeera were deeply involved in all aspects of that project, together with the 50-voice STC Chapel Choir. Approachable and accessible - that is our Warden...the first I know to have a 'gmail' address. Sir, thank you for your decade of leadership and service and may God bless you in the next phase of your life and ministry.”

~David Sansoni

Ananda Amaranth (Patron STC OBA NSW/ACT) welcomed the Warden and spoke briefly about his contribution to STC Gurutalawa when he served as the Headmaster from 2007-2011.  Ananda had been a student when Dr R L Hayman was the Headmaster and Canon Foster was his deputy and the Chaplain. Once Dr Haymen retired and Canon Foster passed away, the school went through a period of instability, including a student riot against the staff. In 2007, Rev Mark Billimoria stepped in. He established stability, and the school’s overall performance improved. He resigned from Gurutalawa to take up the post of Sub Warden at S Thomas Mount Lavinia in 2015.

Ananda reflected on the Thomian motto “Esto Perpetua,” a Latin phrase meaning “Be Thou Forever.” Be yourself forever, meaning to maintaining integrity in one’s life by acting consistently and not compromising on the basic principles of human conduct irrespective of surroundings or circumstances.

Drawing on his experiences at STC as a school prefect and student, he explained that a parent, a minister, had complained to Warden Selvaratnam that his son had been ‘ragged’ by some students in the school hostel. The Warden instructed Ananada to investigate, identify the culprits and report directly to him.

Upon investigation, Ananda was surprised to find out that his younger brother had been one of the culprits. While disappointed, he did not hesitate to report his brother as one of those responsible to the Warden. It was a quandary he faced at the time. Not only did he have to deal with a difficult situation at school, but he also had to deal with a sensitive situation at home, explaining his actions to his parents. With the standards of behaviour and the sense of values that had been inculcated in him by the college over many years, it never occurred to him that a sense of nepotism should influence his actions by trying to protect his brother from certain punishment. Doing the right thing was second nature, and his brother and the rest of the culprits were duly suspended from school for a couple of weeks.

In concluding, he wished the Warden and his family well as they moved on to the next phase of their lives.

Eksath, on behalf of Sanjiv, President of the OBASTCNSW/ACT, who had expressed his sincere regrets for his absence, in inviting Warden Marc to the podium, made a poignant reference to the ethos of the College and referred to legendary Thomians, who reflected that spirit in public life. Then he drew similarities to what Warden Marc had achieved in a decade of service to his Alma mater. In conclusion he said

“Reverend Sir, On behalf of the STCOBA committee here in NSW & ACT, I wish to recognise and thank you for your extraordinary service, leadership, and dedication to the betterment of our College and its community. Your, influence will continue to inspire us for years to come, guiding the College towards a brighter future rooted in the values of the legendary Thomian spirit.

Having had the opportunity to be in contact with you over the years, more than all that I have mentioned ;

I know that you have a divine gift of building and maintaining relationships; I believe this has been the foundation for all you have achieved. Human relationships are complex; one has to work hard and walk the narrow path. Being a ‘man of GOD’, I see that you have done that exceedingly well, trusting in the deep faith you have and being guided

 by the greatest of commandments given to us by Jesus, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind," “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Matt 22:37)

It is my privilege and honour to invite you to speak to us, Esto Perpetua. “

~Eksath Perera

“Thank you, Eksath and good evening, gentlemen. It is nice to be here, but it’s like singing for one’s supper. I was never meant to be at S. Thomas’, even as a student, because my Dad went to Royal. As it happened, both Prep and Royal rejected me. So did St. Peter’s. Thanks to the good offices of Nihal’s Dad, Mr. Dias Abeysinghe Lynn Dassanaike, they persuaded Warden Illangakoon to get me into S. Thomas’. It has been a wonderful journey, and being Warden has been the culmination of that journey.

I shan’t bore you with facts and figures of how the College is doing, because in this era of Social media and the information readily available, you are all aware, sometimes even before the Warden’s official communication. Beware, some of those communications do not contain facts. Always clarify, if unsure. Many have asked why I am retiring. I am not. I have decided to move on and return to something I stepped out of education in 1999 to begin with; to pursue work in the church as an ordained person. And I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d end up at STC in a teaching capacity, least as its head.

In 2006, a life-changing experience, when I had a severe heart attack. Stood down from work for a while. The Bishop of the dayVisited and asked if I’d consider taking over a school – STC Gurutalawe. A strange request to make of someone Recuperating after a heart attack. STC Guru was almost closed, Numbers had dropped, and finances were a mess. Yet, he was wise. My time at Gurutalawe was memorable, and had circumstances been different; I’d have stayed there much longer than I did. Gurutalawe is a very special place. It is a school that – who knows? – may still get me back. STC Gurutalawe is the vision of Dr. Hayman, who wanted a school different from Mt. Lavinia. Boys would not be pampered but self-reliant. They built that school…Squash Courts, Grounds, etc. I had a wonderful 4.5 years there.

The next Bishop, who faced a crisis, when the Warden and Sub-Warden of STC Mt. Lavinia decided to resign on the same day, unknown to each other, asked if I would come down to Colombo. It was a hard decision to leave Guru. What prompted us to take up the offer was the fact that our daughter was in a Colombo Hostel, and the chance to get back together as a family after a 4-year lapse was attractive.

Coming to Mount as Sub-Warden under Indra De Soysa was a privilege. Indra was a wonderful Warden. We regretted his departure. He had a fresh perspective on education, from his experiences in Norway. Sadly he could spare just 3 years from his University commitments.

While I was at a conference in Jerusalem, I had a call from the Bishop. Bishops have played a pivotal role in my life! The Bishop says, “I want you to consider becoming Warden, STC Mt. Lavinia. I asked for a day, and sought the advice of my wife and wise friends. I accepted the job; a tenure of 10 years I shall cherish.

Why am I going?

Not because of any problem with the Board. Not because of any problem with the Bishop – contrary to the claims of many scurrilous WhatsApp messages. I am going because I want to. I have decided that I have done enough. In this day and age one cannot be Warden of STC for 26 years, as Warden De Saram was. It is not good for the institution and not good for oneself. You have only to look at a photograph of me when I took on the mantle in 2015 and compare it with who you see today.

The job has taken its toll. I want to go back to the Church and perhaps follow Doctoral studies, which will also serve the Church. I am leaving content and happy with what, Under God and with the support of a wonderful team, we have been able to do. The COVID years were very tough. Thomians have always been in the forefront. We were the first to introduce online studies. My current Sub-Warden, a brilliant I.T. man, set up within a week, the online framework. Other schools came to STC to learn from our model. I had to take a faith-based decision when the Board said, ‘You can’t do Sport in this environment, so save your money and sack your Sports Coaches.’ I said, ‘Leave that decision to me.’ I did not let go a single Coach, who themselves have families and expenses. They partnered with us, accepting reduced salaries in the interim. We worked together. That faith- based decision was rewarded, for we found, at the end of the COVID period, that we had not dipped even once into our reserves. Not once had we gone into overdraft. Not once did our operations suffer for want of money. Those coaches stood by us, because we stood by them. The COVID years taught is valuable lessons. To have faith. To lean on each other. The global community – your good selves included – gave us a lot of support. In a short time, we raised approximately Rs. 9 Million.

STC has weathered many storms in its history, from the foundation by Bishop Chapman, the move to Mount Lavinia under Warden Stone’ and other hurdles along the way. STC is on a good footing, with good to excellent exam results and transition to employment in the professions. Her Alumni may not be aware of the unique challenges faced by STC in the area of sport and extra-curricular activities. We are not as large as many other schools. We have an admissions policy that demands students who come to us after O. Level have a sound academic background, ensuring a good balance of games and work. We do not permit ‘supplementation’. This puts us at a disadvantage, as many other schools encourage the use of supplements for muscle-building. Our sportsmen continue to attend class, whereas other schools exempt their athletes from classroom attendance. The playing field is not level. STC is in good shape. Associations and Clubs and good administration abound. Our infrastructure is of a high order. Teamwork has brought this about. It’s not because of me.

There is another aspect to this, as I conclude. I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of people like you. The Sri Lanka OBA has been a pillar of support. We have moved away from the confrontational politics of the ‘90s. The Mt. Lavinia OBA and the school have enjoyed the support of the overseas chapters. In the last 10 years, we have seen OBAs emerge in Brisbane, Perth and New Zealand; QATAR, three in the USA and two in Canada. These Old Boys are the ones who make it possible for Wardens to run the school. There is no support from the State. No Warden would ever alienate himself from the OBAs worldwide. I hope whoever takes over from me will receive the same level of support and solidarity that I have experienced over the last ten years. Nothing would have been possible without you and my team in Sri Lanka. I am greatly appreciative.

Thank you for this very gracious welcome. I never expected this to be an ‘event’. I thought a few Thomians would get together and have a laugh. I am very grateful for the coordination that is evident in putting this reception on. Thank you to all of you for making time to be present. Thank you very much. I hope and pray my successor will be as blessed as I have been, enjoying this high level of support and solidarity.

I want to end with words that you are very familiar with in this part of the world. These are words I have been saying to many recently. You will recognise the origins of these words when I read them.

“I am leaving because with such a privileged role comes responsibility. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It is just that simple.” (Jacinda Ardern) Thank you, God bless you and ‘Esto Perpetua’.

~The Warden - Rev’d Mark Billimoria

“Good Evening all, Warden MARC Billimoria SIR; it is a pleasure and an honour to share a few observations, thoughts and ideas with you on what must be your FINAL visit to Sydney as Warden of S Thomas’ College – the school by the sea. We thank you for making the time to be with us. Looking back on your time in Office it could be summarised as nothing short of a Captains knock.

C-19 was a game changer and you and the staff had to face this once in a 100-year plague. To your credit, the gates of STC were never shut, and the school delivered a wholesome education to generations of Thomians. Teachers showed up to teach as did students - all learning on the run.

On your last visit to Sydney, you addressed the OBA and explained to us that rather than trust social media we should visit STC and see for ourselves the work being done at STC to keep flying the flag. You spoke about the challenges and changes in education. As you stated, teachers would enter a class with mark books in the old days. Today, they wheeled in a trolley and computers. That meant every class had to be wired and provided with electricity – a monumental task at the time. Importantly, you also mentioned the efforts teachers were making to ensure that in a year group, no bad apples would be allowed to fall out of the barrel.

In 2018, I visited STC briefly and met you for a stand-up meeting in your office. My visits to the Warden’s office had always been ones that ended in pain, and as I explained at the time, I did not wish to relive them. I recall asking you for permission to walk around the college. You said to me, “I invite you to go anywhere you wish to go, and if you are questioned, tell them that you have the Warden’s permission.” What I saw was nothing short of a complete transformation. The small clubs were being upgraded with a state-of-the-art project. As I walked, I wondered what an effort it would have been. The endless meetings and PowerPoint presentations you would have had to sit through. The ongoing efforts to raise funds. Much of this had been accomplished in an era when supplies were unreliable, costs escalated, and the cost-of-living pressures were pressing and unrelenting.

Today, STC is a school equipped on par with any good school. Due to the progress and transformation made in education and prudent investments in infrastructure on your watch, STC rests on FIRMER ground. We hope that from STC, you may consider moving onto a bigger front where your ideas, thoughts, and values may be spread on a much broader canvas over Sri Lanka at a time when the nation has a dire need for minds of integrity and principle.

I would also like to thank the STC OBA NSW / ACT committee for their dedication and efforts in delivering a platform for old Thomians to meet throughout the calendar year. The current committee has a good balance. It is important and a pleasure to see young Old Thomians willing to join the committee and share their skills and knowledge with the OBA. Their contributions are a meaningful addition to the experience within the committee.”

~Milroy Berenger

The STC OBA, a testament to our strong bond and shared history, had laid out a red carpet for the Warden. The brotherhood had been contacted well in advance, and fifty lads turned out to fete the warden, as our Master of Ceremonies Kumar Rasiah stated, ‘ on a school day.’  Duke and Hemal ensured that the entire function was captured on camera and speeches recorded for posterity on a scale that had not occurred before when a Warden announced his retirement. Eksath Perera, Assistant Secretary (Communications and Content), deputised for President Sanjiv Vivekanandan, who could not grace the event due to a prior engagement. The Assistant Treasurer, Lesley Manickam, was on duty, ensuring the finances were duly recorded and payments collected. The staff at the club were professional and accommodating while catering to our needs promptly.  The Warden arrived a few minutes before the start and made himself available to meet and greet old boys. Some were contemporaries, and some were students.  Many Thomians had attended STC before the Warden’s time as a student. Kumar, microphone in hand, kept a sharp and roving eye on the flow of events, making suitable adjustments to deal with unscripted situations that invariably do occur in such situations. The sound system at the club was challenging and fell short of expectations; however, the crowd was of a size where the lack of a microphone still enabled the speakers to be heard.

Dinner was followed by a Q & A session. The Warden outlined the structures and standards for Prefects and for awarding colours in sports. Prefects had to have had a defined standard of academic performance throughout their careers at STC and have participated in at least one sport. The awarding of School Colours was not a given. The standards were redefined so that now colours are awarded for outstanding performance levels – above and beyond the norm. Performances that inspire. It was also mandatory that a child had to belong to an association or participate in a sport after school hours.  There was a balance in a student’s life between learning and potentially developing interests outside the school curriculum. To facilitate and encourage students, STC has set up various clubs and societies from which students can choose something that interests them.

Following the Warden’s address, the celebratory cake was cut, and the attendees were led by Duke in an emotional and lively rendition of the College song.

Incase you missed this memorable event, a recording summarising key moments of the event can be found here: Recap video

Click here to view the photo gallery: Photos

Contributed by many and compiled by Milroy Berenger at the behest of STCOBANSW/ACT