A Brief History of the Jesuits in Sri Lanka
Jesuit Presence in 15th and 16th Century
The Jesuits initiated their missionary activities in Sri Lanka in 1602. However, during the Dutch occupation of the country starting around 1660s and the subsequent persecution of the Catholics by the Dutch rulers, the evangelization begun by the Portuguese missionaries including the Jesuits came to an abrupt end. And thereafter there was no Jesuit presence in the country for a considerable period. It was not until the late 19th century that the Jesuits returned to Sri Lanka with the establishment of the Papal Seminary in Kandy and the creation of the dioceses of Galle and Trincomalee.
Papal Seminary - Kandy
Fr. Sylvain Grosjean SJ
The Jesuits returned to Sri Lanka in the late 19th century with renewed zeal for their mission. In 1893, they established the Papal Seminary in Kandy, with Fr. Sylvain Grosjean SJ serving as its first superior. Around the same period, the Jesuits contributed to the establishment of the dioceses of Galle and Trincomalee. In 1895, Fr. Joseph Van Reeth SJ was appointed the first bishop of Galle, a diocese entrusted to the Belgian Jesuits.
Two Missions
Over time, these missions were handed over to different Jesuit provinces. The Galle mission was entrusted to the Naples Province in Italy in 1924, and the Trincomalee mission was assigned to the New Orleans Province in the United States in 1945. Though these missions operated independently for many years, they were united in 1962 to form the Jesuit Province of Sri Lanka.
Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Van Reeth SJ
First Bishop of Galle
1895 - 1923
Rt. Rev. Dr. Charles Lavigne SJ
First Bishop of Trincomalee
1898 - 1913
St. Aloysius College - Galle Mission
St. Michael's College - Trincomalee Mission
St. Joseph's College - Trincomalee Mission
Jesuit Province of Sri Lanka
In 1960, the nationalization of private aided schools led to financial challenges for the Jesuits in sustaining their educational institutions. After approximately a decade of struggle, they transferred the administration of their three schools to the government. Thereafter, the Jesuits embraced new roles—some served as university lecturers and chaplains, while others became parish priests under diocesan bishops.
Simultaneously, the Jesuits began initiatives to serve marginalized communities through social apostolates. Centers such as the Satyodaya Centre in Kandy and the Centre for Social Concern in Hatton were established to support plantation workers. The Shanti Community Movement in Dehiwala addressed the needs of the urban poor. The Tulana Research Centre was founded to promote interreligious dialogue. Vocational training centers were set up for underprivileged youth in Batticaloa, Galle, and Nawalapitiya. The Jesuits also established two retreat centers - one in Kandy and another in Batticaloa.
In 1988, the Jesuit novitiate was established, followed by the opening of the juniorate. A pre-novitiate program and candidate houses were also initiated to prepare young men discerning a vocation to the Society of Jesus.
In more recent years, the Jesuits have returned to formal education. Mount Calvary High School in Galle was founded in 2012, followed by the establishment of Arrupe College in Batticaloa in 2018. Furthermore, to support underprivileged youth in the Northern, Central, and Southern regions, the Province partnered with Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL) to offer educational programs.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam