“On 28 May 1926, the Salesian Missions all over India were brought under the Juridical Body of the Salesian Province of India, with Msgr. Louis Mathias as the Provincial,” said Fr. Chempakathinal George, the Coordinator of the Centenary Celebrations. 

Though the Salesians had already set their foot in Thanjavur, India, in 1906, it was only in 1925 that three Salesians from the Assam mission Father Paul Bonardi, Father Joseph Gil and Brother Peter Aprile, were officially sent to Calcutta to begin the work of Don Bosco. Monsignor Ferdinand Perier SJ, Archbishop of Calcutta, offered the Salesians the charge of the Catholic Orphan Press (COP) and the care of the Cathedral Parish in Calcutta.

27 May 2023, being the last day of the completion of the 100 years of the foundation of the Province, Archbishop Thomas D’souza, Archbishop of Kolkata, will preside over the Holy Eucharist in the Basilica of Our Lady of Happy Voyage, Bandel, followed by Cultural extravaganza at Don Bosco School Auditorium, Bandel.

Youth from different parishes and mission zones have been invited along with Salesians to be part of this grand opening ceremony.  

With this, the Salesians of Kolkata province will officially begin the three-year celebration culminating on 28 May 2026. In these three years, the Province will reflect on the theme of Formation in the first year, Mission in the second year, and Celebration in the third year. 

Since its foundation in 1926, the Salesian Province of Kolkata has grown and helped in the growth of 10 provinces in India. In the 36 centres of the Province, Salesians work among youngsters in academic and technical education, street children, juvenile delinquents, migrants, slum dwellers, young prisoners, jobless and school dropouts. 

Now, over 3000 Salesians are working in close to 300 institutions across the country.