Fr. Guy. F. Rajendram, (affectionately known as Fr. Guy, was a highly esteemed member of the Jesuit community in Sri Lanka. Born in 1934, he joined the Society of Jesus in 1951 and underwent religious formation in various parts of the world. Fr. Guy pursued his philosophical studies in India and later theological studies in the United States, where he was ordained a priest in 1963. He celebrated his diamond jubilee of priestly ordination in 2023.
Throughout his career, Fr. Guy was deeply involved in education and academia. He taught cosmology at St. Francis Xavier’s Seminary in Colombuthurai, Jaffna, and served at the Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna. He excelled in research, earning a doctorate in Entomology in 1970. Fr. Guy taught at various universities, including the University of Peradeniya and the University of Jaffna during the civil war.
Notably, he became the Vice-Chancellor of Eastern University, Sri Lanka, and played a vital role in establishing the Faculty of Health-Care Sciences there. He was the first Catholic priest to hold such a position in a state university in Sri Lanka. After retiring from university services, Fr. Guy continued his academic pursuits as a Jesuit priest and served as the director of Jesuit Academy, Batticaloa. Fr. Guy made significant contributions to social organizations in Batticaloa and provided aid to those affected by the Tsunami. He also edited and published a historical book on the dioceses of Trincomalee and Batticaloa. Fr. Guy dedicated many years of his life to serving the diocese of Trincomalee and Batticaloa. His passing on 01 June 2023 marked the end of an era in the Sri Lankan Jesuit community.
– Milroy Fernando, SJ
