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The Headmaster

 

The Reverend Nigel Marc Pirosha Billimoria

Family:           

Wife - Manisha

Children - Shekainah, (9) at Bishops College, Colombo - Grade 5, and Shokeidh, (5) at S. Thomas College, Mt. Lavinia - Year 1

Early Education:

S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia 1980 to 1991 : Was a School Prefect and Co-Editor of the College Magazine; Winner of a number of senior prizes and member of a number of societies and clubs. Was also a member of the Chapel Servers' Guild and President of the Student Christian Movement.

Higher Studies & Ministerial Formation:

Read History at Wadia College, University of Pune (Poona) on a full scholarship for Cultural Relations through the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka 1993-1996 and obtained the Bachelor of Arts degree with a 1st Class

Ripon College Cuddesdon, University of Oxford, as an Ordinand of the Diocese of Colombo to train for the ordained ministry 1999-2001 and obtained Post Graduate Diploma in Theology from the University of Oxford in year 2000 & the Diploma in Ministry for Theology Graduates from Ripon College Cuddesdon 2001 in 2001.

Theological College of Lanka October 2001 to July 2002

Work Experience:

Student Teacher at STCML 3rd Term 1991

Tutorial Staff, STCML January 1992 to June 1999 (Taught English & A/L Divinity). Leave of absence for higher studies 1993-96

Served as a Form Master in the Upper School & College Forms.

Served as Lay Assistant to three Chaplains and was involved in counselling and pastoral care.

Served as Master in Charge of the Student Christian Movement and Senior English Literary and Debating Society;

Staff Advisor of the Current Affairs Forum & the Interact Club.

A Founder and 1st Staff Advisor of the Society for the Preservation of Thomian Traditions.

Archivist of the College 1993 – 1999.

He is steeped in Thomian Traditions and History

Member of the Bishop's Education Advisory Committee 1997 – 1999.

Boarding House Master (Miller - Chapman) 1993.

Ordained Deacon December 2001 while at the Theological College of Lanka and obtained pastoral experience under the Vicar of the Church of Christ the King, Rathmeewala.

Assistant Curate of St. James Church, Egoda Uyana with Christ Church, Horetuduwa & St. Lukes Church,

Sarikkalimulla (under the Archdeacon of Galle) August 2002.

Ordained Priest December 2002 and continued to serve at Egoda Uyana, Horetuduwa and Sarikkalimulla till December 2003.

Vicar, Christ Church, Mirihana January 1st 2004 to May 31st 2007.

Coordinator of the Cathedral Institute for Education and Formation 2003 to 2007.

Secretary, the Bishops Ministry Advisory Committee 2003 to 2007.

Developed the Ministerial Review Programme for the Clergy of the Diocese of Colombo 2004.

Chaplain to the Church of Ceylon Youth Movement 2005/2006.

Installation and Institution of Rev.Marc Billimoria 
As the 13th Headmaster of S.Thomas College at Gurutalawa.


Click here to view the photos of the Installation.


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The Service of Institution and Installation of  Rev. Marc Billiomoria as the 13th  Headmaster of S. Thomas College at Gurutalawa took place at the Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi, S. Thomas College, Gurutalawa on Monday the 11th June 2007. The service commenced at 10.30. a.m. officiated by the Rt. Rev. Duleep De Chickera the 14th Bishop of the Diocese of Colombo.

The chapel was packed to capacity with a sizeable overflow. The congregation included sundry members of the Board of Governors, Old Boys of the College in hopeful numbers augmenting members of the Committee, friends and relations of  Fr.Marc and parishioners of  Holy Trinity Church, Mirihana, in which he was, up to his appointment, the incumbent Vicar. The parishoners had made their way in a hired bus; truly testimony to the affection and regard they had for him and a symbolic augury for the future of the school.

There was a special order of service which commenced with the singing of  the Old Hundred ,the Hymn All people that on earth do dwell based on Psalm 100, the Entrance Hymn to the  Holy Communion Service initially up to the point of The Sermon And the Creed. The sermon preached by the Bishop was on GOD’s faithfulness and Caring  enunciated by Jesus himself in the well known teaching Consider the Lilies of field.

Then came the INSTITUTION which was preceded by a sequence of Questions and Answers relating to the execution of his stewardship as the Headmaster. The Lord Being my helper and culminating in his actual commissioning and  a special blessing on the Headmaster and his family present in person. Then the Bishop accompanied by The Archdeacon of Nuwara Eliya, the Chaplain, and the Headmaster, proceeded to the Headmasters Stall for his INSTALLATION after which he was formally presented to the  gathering of people present.

The service then  continued with The  Ministry of the Sacrament ,the Post Communion In which the Collect was said by the New Headmaster, before the Blessing and The Dismissal and the Recessional Hymn Forth in thy name, O Lord , I go.

The gathering then went in procession led by the College Band to the Canon.A.J.Foster Memorial Hall for General Assembly. A feature of the procession was the inclusion of three horses obtained for the school, courtesy Mr. Jacques Hughebaert  who had  been placed In Charge of the school till the appointment of the new Head.

Addressing the Assembly the Bishop referred to the dire straits the College had been in and referred to the  unexpected  emergence of Mr Hughebaert  as divinely provided at a juncture when the closure of the school had appeared to be imminent. The presence of a greatly increased student population now, was indicative of measures he had taken to stem the tide. He welcomed the new Head who was not only a priest but an old Thomian and called for the support of all concerned. However he struck a discordant note, as far as the many Old Boys present were concerned, when his Lordship peremptorily cautioned against interference in the affairs of the School unaware of the circumstances in which he was moved to say so, particularly in the context of the recent  past  when  it was precisely the Old boys who had  filled the breach and brought the state of the school due to years of  administrative neglect, to the fore, and set a train of  events which had changed its course to its present regenerative possibility.

It was axiomatic that with Father Marc as Head, with the support of Mr.Hughebaert and Mr Christo Gonawela as Manager, there would be no question of interference.
 
Mr Hughbaert made the point that the horses he introduced would establish a resonance with the era of the School under Dr  Hayman  in which  there were horses and the school was much sought after for  the special type of Education it imparted.

Rev. Marc Billimoria then addressed the assembly and conveyed to all present, by his assurances and bearing, that the school was indeed on the threshold of a new Era which would reach out to the values of the past in the pursuit of excellence though under radically changed social conditions.

The Head Prefect proposed the customary Vote of Thanks and the assembly concluded with the singing of the College Song and the National Anthem.

The Service was conducted in all three languages and the singing was robust.
The Head master then invited all those present for Lunch. It was a vegetarian lunch and at the behest of the Head , no different from that of the Boys. It was noteworthy that the boys were smartly dressed.
 
 
P.S.Duleepkumar.