LAURENCE HYDE O.S.B. A SHORT HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE SYLVESTRINE MONKS IN CEYLON from 1845 to 1920 FOREWORD Several years ago during a visit to the Benedictine Abbey of New Norcia, Western Australia, a monk who had visited Sri Lanka in 1967, gave me as a gift a photocopy of a manuscript in his own possession. The title of the manuscript is «Short Historical Review of the Sylvestrine Monks in Ceylon from 1845 to 1920». It was an essay of a then-young Sylvestrine monk, Laurence Hyde, written in 1920 (1). In the Introduction (Chapter I) he had explained the reasons for his essay. «In undertaking to compile this short brochure on the work of the Benedictine Monks of the Sylvestrine Congregation in Ceylon I have been actuated by two motives - the first, to commit in writing what must very soon pass out of the realm of actual tradition and become only a memory of the past, second, to encourage the young gene-rations of my brethren to emulate the great deeds of their fathers». When Hyde wrote his Historical Review in 1920, the chief players mentioned in this essay had died: Mgr. Bonjean had passed away 18 years earlier, in 1902, and Mgr. Pagnani ten years later, in 1911. Yet, the memories of the 1880s were still a painful reminiscence for some of the surviving missionaries such as the Sylvestrine Augustine Pancrazi and the secular priest Pius Fernando, who had through lived the vicissitudes of the Colombo vicariate at that time. Hyde continued his Historical Review: «The older generation of missionaries must in due course of nature succumb to the inevitable fate that awaits all human kind, and the older generation of Christians, who have been witnesses of their labours for the salvation of souls are fast dying out. Soon there will be no living voice left to recount what brave men have done and suffered for the glory of God, prompted by the spirit of Faith and assisted by prodigious zeal». To justify the purpose of this Review Hyde clarified his aim. «It is therefore doubly a pleasure to me to put on record this short account of their labours as an act of homage to the spirit of the Sylvestro-Benedictines, whose nurturing care I have experience during a quarter of a century of intercourse with them». I treasured this manuscript; however, I have, perhaps, neglected this Histo- rical Review in my studies due to the insufficient documentation by Hyde. On the other hand, I consider that this Review is of great importance for us, since Hyde has reported many details of this story, even when he intentionally omitted details of the trials and sufferings of the people who were involved, or had heard it viva voce from people close to those events. Hyde’s Historical Review is also important because it illustrates twenty-eight years of Mgr Pagnani’s administration of the new diocese of Kandy, and near 40 years of the apostolate of the Sylvestrine missionaries after their renunciation of (1) The original is kept on the archives of St. Sylvester’s monastery, Montefano, Ampitiya. Kandy, Sri Lanka. A SHORT HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE SYLVESTRINE MONKS IN CEYLON - From 1845 to 1920 6 LAURENCE HYDE O.S.B. the easier part of the Colombo vicariate in 1883. Hyde’s Review is an early records of their struggles. Hyde worried to verify the historical events recorded in this Review. «I have carefully scanned all available records for information, and have put before my reader only those facts that have for their authority either con-temporary documents or unimpeachable testimony. I am aware that the enterprise bristles with difficulties of a nature that might daunt the bravest, nor do I claim that what I have written is the last word in historical accuracy: for the documents at hand are sadly deficient in much that would be of very great interest, while unfortunately events have tended in the past to restrict the freer and larger scope of action which would have made the historian’s work an easier and more pleasant task. Still I am hopeful that my efforts will be sympathetically viewed. And if I am ready to admit at the start that things are better as they stand, it is not in any other spirit I do so then that we are tools of a Divine Providence, who disposes all things with a sure and merciful hand. No human society, however well constituted, can ever be so perfect that the chances of a flaw will be for ever obviated». In spite of the shortcomings of this Review I believe that the publication of this manuscript can be useful to those who are fascinated by the history of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka, since Hyde himself affirmed that he heard viva voce many details of records by people who lived during the period of these events. THE AUTHOR: Dom Lawrence Hyde was born on 8th November 1891 at Ootacamund (India). His parents were Humphry William Hyde and Winifred Hyde (nee Murphy). His father was a military and civil engineer. He was baptised on 22nd November 1891 at St. Mary’s Church, Ootacamund. His baptismal name was Arthur Edgar Thomas. He was educated at St. Anthony’s College, Kandy, from 1901 to 1907. He took the habit of the Sylvestrine monks at St. Anthony’s Abbey, in 1908, from Abbot Pancrazi. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Bede Beckmeyer on 22nd December 1917. He was appointed Principal of St. Anthony’s College, Kandy, on 11 May 1921. He was a champion in 1927 to transfer St. Anthony’s College to Katugastota. From 17th March 1936 to 1958 he was Vicar General of the Diocese of Kandy, On 27th December 1950 he was appointed Parish Priest of Paradeniya. He died on 21 December 1982 at Lake Side Hospital, Kandy. My contribution to the Historical Review has been to enhance the manu- script with footnotes to guarantee the authenticity of the details in our author’s narrative. In addition, I have added to this manuscript an Addendum and two appendixes. Appendix “D” : Biographical Data concerning the Italian Sylvestrine Monks who went to Sri Lanka for more than a century, i.e. from 1845 to 1950. Appendix “E”: Biographical Data concerning the Sylvestrine Tertiaries who worked in the Colombo Vicariate, Sri Lanka, from 1856 to 1883. Dom Bede Barcatta o.s.b. A SHORT HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE SYLVESTRINE MONKS IN CEYLON FROM 1845 TO 1920 7 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION In undertaking to compile this short brochure on the work of the Benedictine Monks of the Sylvestrine Congregation in Ceylon, I have been actuated by two motives - first, to commit to writing what very soon must pass out of the realm of the actual tradition and become only a memory of the past, - the second, to encourage the young generation of my brethren to emulate the great deeds of their Fathers. The older generation of missionaries must in due course of nature succumb to the inevitable fate that awaits all human kind, and the older generation of Christians who have been witnesses of their labours for the salvation of souls are fast dying out. Soon there will be no living voice left to recount what brave men have done and suffered for the glory of God, prompted by the spirit of Faith and animated by prodigious zeal. It is therefore doubly a pleasure to me to put on record this short account of their labours as an act of homage to the spirit of the Sylvestro-Benedictines whose nurturing care I have experienced during a quarter of a century of intercourse with them. I have carefully scanned all available records for information, and have put before my reader only those facts that have for their authority either contemporary documents or unimpeachable testimony. I am aware that the enterprise bristles with difficulties of a nature that might daunt the bravest, nor do I claim that what I have written is the last word in historical accuracy: for the documents at hand are sadly deficient in much that would be of very great interest, while unfortunately events have tended in the past to restrict the freer and larger scope of action which would have made the historian’s work an easier and more pleasant task. Still I am hopeful that my efforts will be sympathetically viewed. And if I am ready to admit at the start that things are better as they stand, it is not in any other spirit I do so then that we are tools of a Divine Providence, who disposes all things with a sure and merciful hand. No human society, however well constituted, can ever be so perfect that the chances of a flaw will be for ever obviated. If, therefore, in the course of this narrative, it should seem to anyone that the act of any person or persons mentioned therein is blameworthy, it should suffice to remind him that we cannot at this distance of time view such an action in its true perspective, since we are unacquainted with the 8 LAURENCE HYDE O.S.B. whole mental process that led up to it. If good has been done, “da gloriam Deo”, if otherwise, let us not in charity sit in judgment upon others. We must remember, too, that the Church in Ceylon was not so well constituted a hundred years ago as it is at the present day. The reader ought to be able to make the comparison himself if he has the patience to read this narrative through.