Great mentor, teacher and exemplary human being

Amidst the tantalizing celebrations of the Asia cup cricket triumph along with the glorious achievement in the recently concluded Asian netball championship the gentle,suave and genial servant of God Rev. Fr. (Dr) Gerald Crispin Leo  made his quiet exit from this earthly scene. His departure leaves behind not only his remarkable trail of academic and sporting prowess, but thousands of near and dear ones in silent tear. He passed away on September 12. 

He may have certainly heard the endearing beckoning whisper from his creator above “SON IT’S ENOUGH, COME HOME” whilst receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.

Fr. Crispin Leo was strongly built and an absolutely colossus in stature and performance; whether it was in the field of academics or sports. It is pertinent for me to mention his passing away has left a void that would be difficult to fill mostly among the generations of Josephians at St Joseph’s College, Colombo; an institute which he served for little over three decades (interspersed) in the capacity of as a priest, teacher, mentor,  prefect of boarders and finally as the vice rector.

 Having known Rev. Fr. Leo for well over three decades I have always wondered why this smart and handsome graduate with an outstanding background in academics and sports became a teacher above all and a true servant of God than preferring to embark on any other lucrative career. He was himself a brilliant academic and an all-round sportsman and always well presented as a catholic priest. He had undoubtedly all the necessary qualities and prerequisites to rise to the top in whatever the field he chose. Yet destiny or possibly his own choice directed him in to the priesthood.

Fr. Crispin Leo was strongly built and an absolutely colossus in stature and performance; whether it was in the field of academics or sports. It is pertinent for me to mention his passing away has left a void that would be difficult to fill mostly among the generations of Josephians at St. Joseph’s College, Colombo

Having acquired his skills in the noble art of teaching he imparted “KNOWLEDGE AND VIRTUE” to the lads at Darley Road. There he perfectly converted both academics and sports to a form of art ensuring the school achieved success.

To Fr. Leo both academics and sports were of paramount interest. His ultimate desire was to see that his young charges at St, Joseph’s were equipped with necessary and adequate skills to meet the future challenges in life. As living proof of his great vision one sees in respect and pride that his former charges embellishing the wide varied tapestry of modern public life in their chosen fields such as law, medicine, engineering, banking and other disciplines. His sense of delivery as a teacher and a mentor and the closeness he had to the students of St, Joseph’s was the hallmark of his personality. So much so that he used to address his students at St Joseph’s by their endearing pet names; whilst maintaining strong sense of self respect and dignity.

In cricket and rugby or either in common way of life he was awesome offering encouragement that was mixed with the liberal use of endearing pet names which pulled at our heartstrings. 

Space does not permit the recounting of all the sterling qualities of this great human being, but a salient few need special mention in this article. He always strongly believed and instilled in us that rugby, cricket or any sport for that matter had to be played hard as it ought to be played clean. Equally he instilled in us the thought never to gloat over victory or to despair in defeat.

 We at St. Joseph’s were so fortunate to come under the tutelage of such mentors of sterling character. They moved with the highest and the lowest skilled students with consummate ease. The rest of the other teachers apart from Rev. Fr. Crispin Leo, Rev.Fr. (Dr). Stanley Abeysekera, Rev. Fr. Trevor Martin, M.G.I. Ferdinands, Joe Perera, Helakumara Epasinghe and Gamini Samarasinghe are a few out of many whom we remember with reverence.
 Rev.Fr. Crispin Leo was an exemplary human being who strode this world like a colossus. He knew no discrimination. He had a great belief of the motto “The truth shall prevail”.

He was large hearted and spontaneously generous to those who were less fortunate. He practiced what he regularly preached. An Instance of his large heartedness and human sympathy was illustrated during an incident which I shall recount. When the officers from the department of law enforcement rushed to record a statement to the place where his vehicle was knocked from behind (by a three wheeler) he vehemently opposed to make a statement and observed that the driver of the tuk tuk never intended doing wrong. The driver was found innocent and thus ended the climax.

Such was the humanity of this great soul that all of us could stand up and say as great William Shakespeare did that: ‘This was a man’. 

Rev. Fr. Leo lived a full life of eighty five years and had the satisfaction of seeing the majority of his students at St Joseph’s and Aquinas University performing well in their respective chosen fields of profession. It is seldom said that “All mortals have to one fine day breathe their last” and Rev. Fr. Leo would firmly acclaim this as the undeniable truth. “Dear Fr. Crispin you played a full innings and an excellent one at that and finally before I shall conclude this appreciation I am reminded of famous sentiments expressed by theologian James Freeman clarke; “SUBMISSION TO GOD THE ALMIGHTY GIVES THE HIGHEST ENERGY. HE; WHO HAS DONE THE GREATEST WORK ON EARTH SAID THAT HE CAME DOWN FROM  HEAVEN , NOT TO PERFORM HIS OWN WILL , BUT THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT HIM, WHOEVER ALLIES  HIMSELF WITH GOD IS ARMED WITH ALL THE FORCES OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD”.

 My humble prayer for my noble Guru, teacher par excellence, a Magister magistrorum and above all a true warrior in God’s world  who taught me and many a generation of Josephians to “STAND FIRM TILL THE MOUNTAINS DISSAPPEAR”. “MAY ALL THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN SING THEE TO THY SLEEP”
SUPUN PERERA