Louis Joseph Julien Benedict’s 1st Death Anniversary; He was a friend, guru and spiritual guide

In hindsight, you safely navigated the manifold dangers, toils and snares you encountered with Marie by your side and Jesus, too, as we believe in holy matrimony 

By Keith Noyahr 

It’s one year since you passed away, Louis. We have heard you sing the moving hymn Amazing Grace. You interiorised the lyrics that came straight from your heart. You always believed that Amazing Grace saved your wretched life when you lost your livelihood and the will to live as your world crashed out.

One of John Newton’s verses stand out:

“Through many dangers, toils and snares

I have already come:

‘tis grace has brought me safe thus far,

and grace will lead me home.”

In hindsight, you safely navigated the manifold dangers, toils and snares you encountered with Marie by your side and Jesus, too, as we believe in holy matrimony.

But the verse that stands out to me is:

“Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

and mortal life shall cease:

I shall possess, within the veil,

a life of joy and peace.”

May the joy and peace that comes with the Beatific Vision be yours. A college mate and fellow sub-editor at the Daily Mirror Russell  Casie Chitty, who wrote a moving tribute to you, passed away this April. Two years back, I penned an appreciation of Prema Cooray, your classmate at St Benedict’s College. 

Daily Mirror Associate  Editor Features Susitha Fernando requested an appreciation of my former colleague Louis Benedict with the instruction “pen something from your heart.”

Louis was a kind, gentle soul who cared not only for his friends but also for their families in vulnerable situations. To this day, I will never forget how Louis accompanied my wife Roshini in an office vehicle for the delivery of my son. He was consoling her during the journey and encouraging her as the pain took hold,  and I had already left for work. Roshini recalls how Marie sent a specially made meal for her during a tough pregnancy.

The deeply spiritual person he was, Louis presented my son Mario with his first Bible, which he remembers to date. Even though he had no children of his own, hailing from a large family, Louis would have presented many of his nieces and nephews and children of his friends with spiritual reading vital for spiritual growth. One factor contributing to John Newton’s conversion was the reading of Thomas à Kempis’ Imitation of Christ, a book I read in my childhood. Out of the blue, Mario recently presented a copy of it ordered on Amazon. I relished it as I did the other classic,  C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity.

Louis taught me to depend on God rather than rely on insurance policies. I took on board this rock-solid advice and have neither medical nor life insurance here. Before I was forced to flee Sri Lanka, I had accompanied Louis to charismatic prayer meetings where I learnt vital life lessons, for which I am grateful. His life itself was a living example of Christian values.

Louis was an embodiment of humility and looking back,  I can only laugh at how “pride ruled my will” to borrow a line from John Henry Newman’s Lead Kindly Light. I am sure, Louis’ prayerful wish ever since he lost his sight was

“Lead kindly Light amid the encircling gloom…”  

The night is dark, and I am far from home…

As the night editor, I recall walking into the editorial and subs desk to pass pages with a degree of pomposity. In direct contrast was Louis’ significant yet humble contribution towards publishing error-free pages. Though very spiritual, Louis didn’t exhibit a holier-than-thou attitude to us lesser mortals who enjoyed inebriating libations as he never forgot his past. He was always approachable in times of crisis. 

In the last line of defence at the subs desk, Louis was calm and dependable in the face of pressing deadlines at Wijeya Newspapers. Back in Australia, where I worked as a sub editor in a group of newspapers with over a dozen titles, this disposition served me in good stead for 10 long years. So much so that the chief sub-editor who was also a volunteer Australian army officer remarked at my farewell, “the one man I would like to have in the trenches is Keith.” Louis’ idiomatic choice of words and witty turn of phrases in the classy and sometimes homespun headlines helped shape vital skills I later put to good use.

Louis passed on his knowledge and skills to many journalists over the years. Sight was no barrier as he had the clarity of mind to sift through the clutter and get to the essence of the news story. His memory was great as he listened to the unedited raw story and dictated a polished,  coherent copy. 

Clarity, brevity and simplicity are the hallmarks of good journalism, according to the handbook at Associated Press (AP) where I worked. Louis had all three in spades. My former colleague and Sunday Times Deputy Editor Ameen Izzadeen and former Sun Journalist and college mate Laurie Machado have impressively captured Louis’ journalistic contributions in two media companies over five decades. An award-winning journalist, Louis never rested on his laurels.

Unlike many of us who got bogged down in the mundane media world and cocktail circuit by extension, Louis found time to spiritually reset and be a prophet of social justice fighting for the patients’ rights till the end. Neither did his disability tie him down, as he lived a full life, facing with composure the many curveballs thrown his way. 

Rest in peace friend, guru and spiritual guide.