Savundaranayagam was ordained as a priest in December 1963. After his ordination he served as an assistant parish priest at St. Mary's Cathedral, Jaffna for few years. In January 1981 he was appointed Bishop of Mannar and was ordained as a bishop in July 1981 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu. He became Bishop of Jaffna in July 1992. He retired in October 2015.
