The Bishop

Biography

BIOGRAPHY

Name: Most Rev. Dr. Harold Anthony Perera
Born on: 9th June 1951 at Pamunugama in the Archdiocese of Colombo
Father: Mr. Michael Perera
Mother: Mrs. Pesona Jayamaha
Primary Education: At St.Joseph’s School, Pamunugama
Secondary Education: At St.Aloysius Seminary, Borella,Colombo - 08

  • Entered St. Aloysius’ Minor Seminary, Borella in the Archdiocese of Colombo -13 January 1962
  • Employed at Ceylon Auto Industries Ltd. - 1969/1970/1972
  • Joined the Intermediate Seminary, Haputale - 1971
  • Entered the National Seminary of Our Lady of Lanka, Kandy - February 1973

Priestly Ministry

Ordained a Priest - 05 th July 1980 by His Grace the Archbishop, the Most Rev. Dr. Nicholas Marcus Fernando at St. Lucia’s Cathedral, Kotahena, Colombo – 13

ASSIGNMENTS

• Assistant Parish Priest at Dalugama & Bolawalana
• Youth & Asst. Catechetical Director – Ragama Deanery
• Parish Priest at Kurana, Tudella & Liyanegemaulla
• Secretary & Youth Director Negombo Deanery
• Bursar/ Member of the Staff in the National Seminary, Kandy
• Procurator General in the Archdiocese of Colombo
• Administrator of the Archdiocesan Estates - Colombo
• Archdiocesan Director of Pontifical Mission Societies
• Member of the Archdiocesan Curia/ Personnel Board/ College of Consulters/ Senate
• Director of the Philosophate of the National Seminary, Kandy

Episcopal Ministry

29 th January 2003 – Appointed as the Second Bishop of the Diocese of Ratnapura by Pope John Paul II
18 th March 2003 – Episcopal Ordination at St. Lucia’s Cathedral, Kotahena
Chief Consecrator: Most Rev. Dr. Malcolm Ranjith, the Adjunct Secretary General of Sacred Congregation of Evangelization of Peoples & President of Pontifical Societies in Rome
22 nd March 2003 – Took Canonical Possession of the diocese at Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral, Ratnapura
15 th February 2005 – Appointed as the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Galle
08 th March 2005 – Took Canonical Possession as the Sixth Bishop of Galle at Queen of the Holy Rosary Cathedral, Galle
06 th July 2006 - Appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Ratnapura
14 th May 2009 – Appointed as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Kurunegala
11 th July 2009 – Took Canonical Possession of the diocese at St. Anne’s Cathedral, Kurunegala

Assignments of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka

Chairman – Catholic National Commission for Inter-religious Dialogue &Ecumenism 2003 – 2005
Chairman – Finance Committee - CBCSL 2005 - 2011
Chairman - Catholic national Commission for Missionary Activity Youth/SVP/Legion of Mary/CWM
Secretary – Tsunami Task Force of the CBCSL
Chairman – Catholic National Commission for Justice, Peace & Human Development - Caritas Sri Lanka 2007– 2013
Chairman – Catholic National Commission for Migrants, Health, Tourism, Prisons -2013
Chairman - Catholic national Commission for Missionary Activity Youth/SVP/Legion of Mary/CWM
Chairman - Catholic National Commission for Seminaries, Clergy, Religious and Secular Institutes
Member - Permanent Council
Chairman - Finance Committee
President - Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Sri Lanka - 2022.06.09

Foreign Assignments:

Member of the Standing Committee of the Federation of the Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC)

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
GCE Ordinary Level
GCE Advanced Level
Diploma in Computer Programming
B.T.H (Rome) – Urban University
M.A (Rome) – University of St.Thomas Aquinas