[1] He was born into a devoted Roman Catholic family to parents Stanley John Silva and Eugene Victoria Dias.
He initially entered the Roman Catholic School in Willorawatte and later attended St. Sebastian College, Moratuwa[2] where he completed his secondary education.
As a child he was very much attached to the St. Charles Borommeo parish Archived 2022-07-01 at the Wayback Machine, Willorawatte [3] and has been a devoted member of the Legion of Mary.
Young Maxwell Silva was greatly attached to the 'Brookside' St. Joseph's Convent - Piliyandala where he served as an altar server for many years.
It is said that the Jesuit priests on his mother's side of the family were inspirational in this vocational call and with his parents' blessing he chose the path to priesthood.
He was ordained to the priesthood on July 25, 1981, alongside several other deacons at St. Lucia's Cathedral by Nicholas Marcus Fernando [de], Archbishop Emeritus of Colombo.
[7] He was the first to join the governmental service as a Catholic priest under the direction of Archbishop Emeritus of Colombo and was posted to St. Joseph's College, Grandpass[8] as his first appointment.