Rev. Fr. James Pathinathan was born in Uduvil, Jaffna, Sri Lanka on

December 14, 1945. He attended St. Patrick’s College and St. Martin’s Seminary in Jaffna and continued his studies at the Papal Seminary in Ampitiya, Sri Lanka.

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He was ordained as a priest in Jaffna on April 6,1970. Fr.Pathinathan served as parish priest in multiple parishes in the diocese of Jaffna. He continued his  graduate studies in England at the London School of Economics.

 

While in London, he joined the Central British Fund for Tamil Refugees Rehabilitation (CBFTRR). Later, he joined a few others to establish the Tamil Information Centre (TIC). In Sri Lanka, he started caring for the war-affected children and formed the Arobanam Children Home which later became a well-established charity in London called the ‘Arobanam Children Fund’.

 

He was an avid supporter of Human Rights and Social Justice. Fr. Pathinathan was involved in several social and human development activities but, he especially cherished his work among the people of Vanni. The knowledge of his love for children of Vanni was the impetus for his family and friends to establish this fund, JPM-VEEF.