The seventh Archbishop of Colombo, the Most Rev. Dr. Nicholas Marcus Fernando, appointed in 1977 is the first diocesan priest to be elevated to the ranks. His fatherly approach won the hearts of many who sought his guidance.
As Chief pastor of the Archdiocese, he had his concern for almost all the areas of concern and obviously making education one of the priorities.
The concept of the Branch Schools in the Archdiocese of Colombo came to be during his tenure as the Archbishop. He initiated the establishment of many new schools, together with his successor, the Most Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis. He ended his office in 2002.