Pope appoints new Auxiliary Bishop in Sri Lanka

By Vatican News

Pope Francis on Monday appointed a new Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.  Father Anton Ranjith Pillainayagam, a priest of the archdiocese, is the third auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese. 

The 53-year old priest has been appointed the third auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese, which is headed by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith. 

The other two Auxiliary Bishops of Colombo are Maxwell Silva and J D Anthony Jayakody, appointed in 2011 and 2018. 

53-year old Father Pillainayagam is currently the vice-rector of St. Joseph's College in Colombo and director of the Tamil Theologate.

Biography

Father Pillainayagam was born on September 23, 1966, in Jaffna, northern Sri Lanka. He completed primary and secondary studies in Colombo and Jaffna. He studied philosophy at the St. Francis Xavier Major Seminary in Jaffna and theology at the National Seminary of Kandy. He obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from the University of Jaffna, a Masters in Education from the University of Middlesex (United Kingdom) and a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Jaffna.

He was ordained a priest on September 16, 2000, in the Cathedral of St. Lucia in Colombo.  

After his priestly ordination, he has held the following responsibilities:

- 2000-2004 - Staff of St. Peter's College, Colombo

- 2004-2005  - Master's course at the University of Middlesex, UK

- 2006-2007  - Staff of St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa

- 2007-2012  - Staff of St. Joseph's College, Colombo

- 2012-2014  - Vice-Rector of St. Peter's College, Colombo

- since 2014  - Vice-Rector of St. Joseph's College, Colombo

- since 2009  - Director of Tamil Theologate