The community of Don Bosco Bhavan, Mannuthy, celebrated the event a day after his birthday, as it was a more convenient day. The community at Don Bosco, Mannuthy is proud to have a priest like Fr. KD Joseph. Fr. KD Joseph was known to several Salesians in South India as a dedicated Rector and an excellent teacher of Geography and History. This voracious reader is still hungry to teach, animate, preach and help the young even today. His admirers range from confreres to past pupils. In the presence of several confreres from various communities of Kerala and his numerous relatives, among whom there were his own nephew Fr. Siby Kavilpuraidathil SDB of Chennai Province and some religious sisters, the celebrations began with the Holy Eucharist at 6.00 p.m. presided by Fr. K.D. Joseph himself. Fr Mathew Kapplikunnel, Rector, welcomed the guests and invited everyone to join Fr K.D. Joseph to thank the Lord for the 80 years of `full` life granted him and to pray that God might continue to bless him abundantly. In the homily Fr K.D. Joseph recalled the Lord`s mercies shown him right from the moment of his birth. Baptized soon after his birth because adjudged unable to survive for more than an hour, even at 80 his life is a song of praise to the Lord. The Holy Eucharist was followed by a brief cultural evening to felicitate Fr K.D. Joseph. Fr Mathew Kapplikunnel, the Rector, set the tone to the evening by greeting the octogenarian in the name of the community and recalling the great asset he was to the community and to the Province at large. Miss Sharon, his niece, and Fr Siby, his nephew, too felicitated their uncle in the name of the family emphasizing how proud they were to have an uncle of such calibre in the family. The evening was enlivened by the songs and dances of the aspirants, while the band rendered with real gusto the immortal tunes from `The Titanic` as a sign of affection for Fr K.D. Joseph. In his reply Fr K.D. Joseph reiterated that it was thanks to the influence of his own students that he became what he is. The celebrations concluded with a sumptuous garden dinner laid out by the Administrator, Fr Bino, assisted by his collaborators. Everyone enjoyed the meal and the family atmosphere that reigned supreme. At the end of the festivities all dispersed with hearts and minds brimming with joy at the wonders the Lord has worked in the life of Fr. K.D. Joseph.