Warden’s Blog
As I come to the end of my tenure as Warden and prepare to move on at the end of the year, I have been taking time to reflect on the past years that I have been involved with education and with running two schools.
My four and a half years at STC Gurutalawa and the past 13 years at STC Mount Lavinia, have taught me many valuable lessons for life through different experiences – the good, the bad and even the ugly! When my guru, the late Warden Neville de Alwis invited me to consider teaching as a career in late 1991 I never realized what a wonderfully fulfilling career path it would be. Despite taking a deliberate break from education in 1999 to train for the Anglican priesthood, the love for transmitting knowledge and mentoring young people never left me as when I was invited to return to education in 2007, after a few years in parish ministry, I took to it like a fish to water. To have been given the opportunity as an educator to enable children and youth to become integrated men of sound character who would take on the world
has been an absolute privilege and an awesome responsibility. Were I given a chance to do things all over again I would not think twice before undertaking the same task.
Throughout my tenure therefore, I have worked on the premise that S. Thomas’ College must not just be known as a centre of excellence in academics or sports and extra curricular activities or even for its beautiful campus and state of the art facilities. Rather S. Thomas’ College must be known for the sort of men it sends out into the world. Men who reject the falsehoods (what one of my illustrious predecessors, Canon R. S. De Saram, once referred to as ‘bogus doctrines’) and the illusions that beguile modern humanity; men who work for the common good of all and not just serve themselves; decent men who conduct their lives with integrity and expose deceit, duplicity and dishonesty. In 2026 when the College reaches its 175 year of existence it is this ethos that must be celebrated and cherished above all other things.
This philosophy of education has been inspired by the vision of James Chapman, first Anglican Bishop of Colombo and founder of S. Thomas’ College:
“The real end of all education, is not to sharpen the intellect or improve the mind alone, but to form the character of the future man, To mould his habits, to fix his principals, and to make him good as well as wise”.
It has been my conviction that such good and wise men will promote the core values of the Thomian tradition in the school and beyond.
Of these core values the one I have come to treasure the most is our inclusivity. The Thomian community is a family that brings together a very diverse group of people. It is a community that celebrates difference and places great value on each person as being a reflection of the image of God. We have made a deliberate choice to be an inclusive community that rejects the exclusivism of the world outside and ensures that each child, youth and adult is respected and valued no matter what distinguishes them from others. If I have been able in some way to make this vision a reality, then I can lay down my charge with a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that I have achieved my primary goal for being involved in education. The years would not have been in vain.
As I leave the scene of my labours, I commend my successor to all stakeholders of the College for your prayers and continued active support. While thanking each and everyone who helped me achieve my goals for S. Thomas’ College through your prayers and acts of support and solidarity over the years, I humbly request that you do the same for him.
With renewed thanks, peace and blessings to all,
Rev’d Marc Billimoria
Warden – S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia
01st December 2024
