On 8 July 2001, Anton Fernandopulle was ordained a priest in Jamaica. Twenty-five years later, Fr Anton is celebrating his silver jubilee with his parish in Huyton.

We spoke to him about his calling, his life in ministry, the tragedy that brought him to Liverpool, and how he plans to mark this milestone.

Fr Anton said: “I was born in Sri Lanka into a Catholic family. It’s a Buddhist country, so we were a minority. My parents were practising but not strict – we prayed the rosary at home, and I often fell asleep during it! As the fifth of six children, I usually got away with it.”

His vocation began at a Catholic school run by the Marist brothers, where a visiting vocations director invited pupils to a camp. “My friends said yes, so I went too – and I loved it. I entered the seminary at 16.”

“I was also influenced by family and community connections. My aunt was a former nun, and there are several priests and religious among my parents’ relatives. On family holidays or pilgrimages, we often invited priests along, so faith was always a part of our lives.”

During seminary, a visiting Oblate (OMI) priest from Bangladesh shared stories of his challenging yet fulfilling missionary ministry in Bangladesh, which left a lasting impression on Fr Anton.

“He spoke with such enthusiasm about his ministry and missionary experiences that I found him incredibly inspiring. He was full of energy, zeal, and a spirit of adventure—he even reminded me of Tarzan! His witness encouraged me to persevere in my vocation, remain in the seminary, and eventually join the Oblates, where I spent several enriching years in formation, first as a student and later as a scholastic.”

Having left the oblates after completing his studies in philosophy, Fr Anton spent time working outside ministry. “I worked as a hotel receptionist in Colombo, Sri Lanka, a role I thoroughly enjoyed. It taught me discipline, commitment, and valuable interpersonal skills, as I interacted daily with people from all walks of life and from many different parts of the world. Working both day and night shifts helped me develop resilience and a strong work ethic. I still remember my manager’s constant reminder that ‘the customer is always right’- a principle that taught me the importance of listening, patience, and service.”

After time in Switzerland, he moved to Kingston, Jamaica, and joined the Jamaican diocesan seminary affiliated with the University of the West Indies to continue his theological studies. After a year, the seminary closed, and he and the other Jamaican seminarians were sent to St John Vianney Regional Seminary in Trinidad and Tobago. During seminary breaks (summer holidays), he returned to Jamaica to gain pastoral experience.

Having completed his studies in Trinidad, he returned to Jamaica and was placed in a number of parishes, which helped him immerse himself in Jamaican culture.

Among his many parish experiences, Fr Anton spoke of working in an inner-city parish in Kingston, not far from the childhood home of Bob Marley in Trench Town.

“It was a tough area with high levels of violence, but parish life was vibrant. Mass could last two hours and, in typical laid-back Jamaican style, never started on time!”

In preparation for his diaconate ordination, he moved to rural Jamaica and lived with a young Jesuit priest, Fr Martin Royackers SJ, who had a deep commitment to the poor.

“He was incredibly creative and fully immersed in Jamaican culture. He was passionate about empowering lay leadership and helping rural farmers secure better prices for their crops by transporting them to Kingston through the Jesuit-run co-operative. He was a straight talker and was not afraid to challenge anyone including the clergy. I learnt so much from him, and he played a vital part in my journey to the priesthood. His approach to priestly ministry was admirable, and he was a man who was not afraid to think outside the box. I am not wrong in saying that he laid the foundation for my priestly ministry.”

Just 18 days before his ordination, tragedy struck.

“I left Martin at church one evening and went home to cook for us both. We usually walked back together, but not that day. I heard a gunshot, but that was not unusual in the area. When I went to bed, he had not returned home, so I left his meal on the table. The next morning, his food was untouched. I went to the church and found that he had been shot dead at the door. It really shook me, to say the least, and it was a very sad moment in my life.”

Despite this, his ordination went ahead on 8 July at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kingston.

Afterwards, for his own safety, he was moved from that parish and became parish priest of four rural churches spread across a large area of Jamaica, a role he greatly enjoyed.

He enjoyed bringing these communities together several times each year, particularly on the fifth Sunday of months that contained one, for a joint Mass. It was rewarding to see the relationships that developed as strangers became friends and parishioners began supporting one another despite the distances between the churches and the challenges of transportation. He remains deeply grateful for the generosity of the Food For The Poor organisation, which enabled him to assist many struggling families.

The trauma of witnessing the aftermath of Fr Martin's murder and discovering his body took a significant toll on Fr Anton. Exactly one year after Fr Martin Royackers' death, Fr Anton suffered a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), often referred to as a minor stroke. Following this, he travelled to the United States, where he met what he describes as his “guardian angels”.

While taking part in a transformational personal development programme in Florida, he met the Guido family – Nancy, Ron and their son, Rob.

“They helped me find therapists, counsellors and medical support. Without them, I would not be here today.”

The team caring for Fr Anton urged his bishop to move him from Jamaica, as he continued to struggle with the trauma of hearing gunshots and seeing blood.

With the support of his bishop and the Jesuits in Jamaica, Fr Anton was presented with several opportunities to minister in different parts of the world outside the Caribbean. However, his mother strongly encouraged him to move to the United Kingdom, as he already had siblings living there and she knew he would have their support.

“She encouraged me to ignore the other options and focus on the UK.”

As a result, Fr Anton applied to several dioceses in England and was invited to Liverpool by Bishop Vincent Malone.

“I booked a one-way ticket – and the rest is history.”

Since arriving in the Archdiocese of Liverpool, Fr Anton has served in Crosby, St Anthony’s, Scotland Road, and St John’s, Kirkdale, before becoming parish priest of St Agnes and St Aidan, Huyton, where he has now served for more than 20 years.

Speaking about his parish, Fr Anton said: “The parish is very synodal and all-embracing in its approach to ministry. It is bold, creative, and firmly committed to teamwork. I am blessed with a dynamic parish team that includes our very talented Pastoral Assistant, Christine Ball.

“We have more than 80 volunteers who help make this parish such a special place, including members of the parish council and the parish finance team. Their dedication and generosity contribute enormously to the life and mission of the parish.

“Our parishioners have created a welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant community where everyone feels valued, supported, and truly at home.

“Of course, celebrating the liturgy is central to priestly ministry, but one of the greatest joys of being a priest is meeting people, encouraging them to look beyond themselves, helping them discover their gifts, and creating opportunities for them to put those gifts into practice.

“I am passionate about fostering lay leadership, and it is a privilege to support and encourage people as they share their gifts in service of the Church. In this parish, there are many opportunities for parishioners to become involved and make a real difference in the life and mission of our community.”

His passion for mission has also had a profound impact on parish life.

“I have travelled extensively throughout the world, including many backpacking trips, which broadened my perspective and deepened my understanding of different cultures.

Many years ago, on World Mission Sunday, I invited parishioners to consider becoming involved in overseas mission work. That led to the birth of our parish mission (WCMAD- we can make a difference) to Suriname in South America.

“We travelled into the Amazon rainforest to support a large number of remote communities served by a dedicated Dutch priest. Those mission trips transformed the people who took part. They opened their eyes to the wider world, deepened their faith and, on their return, many became the backbone of parish life.”

The parish later established a mission to Romania, where volunteers continue to travel each summer.

Today,  this parish is widely recognised for its commitment to inclusivity, outreach and social justice. The parish is home to SHAReKnowsley, a charity supporting refugees and asylum seekers, the archdiocese's only support group for LGBT+ Catholics, and many active members and leaders of the Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ- Merseyside).

“We are a very community-focused parish. Our parish WhatsApp group is always active, with people responding quickly to local needs, whether that means providing donations, supporting vulnerable families or helping asylum seekers who need assistance.”

To mark his Silver Jubilee of priesthood, the parish will celebrate with a special Mass followed by a parish celebration.

“I have been removed from the parish WhatsApp group by Christine, so whatever is being planned remains a surprise,” he laughed. “But I am very much looking forward to giving thanks for 25 years of priesthood.

“I have invited a few people to celebrate with me and my parishioners, including Fr. Adrian McNamara, priest from the Archdiocese of Birmingham, who was present at my ordination in Jamaica.  The Guido family  and many others from different parts of the world will be joining virtually . That will make it an especially meaningful and memorable occasion.”