Beyond the powerful patronage of St Joseph, to whom we all entrust ourselves, we also recognise in St Joseph an enduring reference for every Salesian. Don Bosco saw in him the educator and guardian who reflects fatherly care and responsibility toward the young, especially the poor.

On the feast of St Joseph, we are invited to contemplate the mission entrusted to us for the sake of the resource-poor young as a sacred trust. Like Joseph, who received into his care what was most precious and vulnerable, we too are entrusted with lives that must be protected, formed, and guided with patience and love.

St Joseph remains a model of attentive listening with trust in Providence. The Gospel of Matthew presents Joseph as a man who, with trust in Providence, listened attentively: “Joseph, son of David, do not fear...” (Mt 1:20). He remained open to God and was ready to receive direction. For us, this feast is a reminder to listen to God in prayer and to the young, particularly the poorest, with respect and sensitivity.

St Joseph is a model for us to act decisively – ‘do whatever He tells you’, our Strenna for the year – after discerning God’s will through attentive listening. “When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him” (Mt 1:24; cf. 2:14). There was no hesitation when action was required. In the same spirit, we are called to move from discernment to courageous action, especially when the good of the young – particularly the poor – is at stake.

He further inspires us to uphold the dignity of work and formation, where education and practical skills become paths of growth, faith, and human development. His life reveals a man who worked tirelessly without seeking reward, sustaining Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary in simplicity and dignity. From him we learn that work is a means of dignity even in displacement and migration.

Let us imitate and pray to St Joseph on this patronal feast of the Salesians.

In this context, I am happy to share some important recent developments with you. We have had a wonderful visit of the Rector Major to the provinces of Kolkata, New Delhi, and Chennai. He is expected to visit Sri Lanka in May and Bangladesh in October. Our Region is thus abundantly blessed.

We are pleased to announce a special event on 7 September 2026, when all former Provincials of our South Asia Region are invited to join the SPCSA Council for an open discussion on the current situation and future prospects of the Salesian Mission in the region. This meeting will take place at the Provincial House in Delhi and will also serve as valuable preparation for the Rector Major’s Team Visit in October 2027.

The Rector Major has graciously adjusted his schedule to be present for this event, as well as for the subsequent days of the SPCSA Council meetings and the second-year “Re-wind” meeting of the Mission Poverty Eradication initiative (7-10 September 2026). Each year, the SPCSA Council dedicates one full day to deliberating on the Mission Poverty Eradication efforts, as the Provincials and the Regional Councillor together oversee this key aspect of our mission.

One important purpose of this circular is to update all of you on the responsibilities being carried out by our dear confreres at the SPCSA level. You can read the list below. I take the opportunity to thank each of them who are completing their term of responsibility, those continuing, and those taking up new responsibilities. A sincere word of thanks to their provinces for the generosity with which they offer their time and capacities for the mission of Salesian South Asia.

SPCSA Assembly and Council Meetings

The SPCSA Assembly (2-3 March 2026) and Council (4-5 March 2026) were held at Don Bosco Institute (DBI), Kharguli, Guwahati.

Fr Rafael Bejarano, the General Councillor for Youth Pastoral, was also present at the Assembly. In his animation address, he presented the Youth Ministry Frame of Reference, advocating an integral, interconnected, inclusive, and participatory approach to youth ministry. He also cautioned against factors that weaken communion in mission, identifying tendencies such as genericism, personalism, disintegration, activism, and improvisation as concerns that require conscious attention within Salesian ministry. Over the two days, the SPCSA Networks presented their annual reports and plans.

The SPCSA Council approved the budgets and the accounts of the various networks and deliberated on various aspects of the life and mission of the Salesian South Asia Region.

Provincials In-Charge of Networks

The SPCSA Council entrusted the following Provincials with these networks: Fr Clive Telles: Bosconet
Fr Sunil Kerketta: Salesian Family
Fr Doss Kennedy: Vocational Dimension

SPCSA Appointments

The Rector Major approved the nomination of Fr John Parankimalil as the Rector of SPCI House, New Delhi, and of Fr Shilanand Kerketta as the Rector of DBRC, Bangalore for their first triennium 2026-2029. We congratulate them and wish them the very best for this responsibility.

The following confreres were reappointed for a second term (2026-2027):

Fr John Parankimalil (ING): SPCSA Secretary; SA Coordinator, Education and Culture; DB Trademark
Fr Patrick Lepcha (INC): SA Delegate, DBYA
Fr Joseph Prabu (INM): Secretary and Executive Director, DB YaR Forum

The following confreres received a one-year extension of their terms last year due to GC29. The SPCSA Council decided to extend their tenure for a further two years so that they can complete a three-year term (2025-2028):

Fr George Mathew Mannedupankuzhiyil (INK): Exec. Director, DBTech
Fr Santhanaraj Ubagaram (INT): Director, Bosconet
Fr Gabriel Karunaraj (INT): SA Coordinator, Vocational Dimension; Coordinator, JPN Fr Joseph (Sunny) Palamthattel (INS): SA Delegate, Missionary Animation
Fr Joseph Poruthur (INM): SPCSA Webmaster

The following confreres were appointed for the first term (2026-2027):

Br Jose Puthenpurackel (INC): Asst Director DBTech
Fr Roy George Mannattel (IND): Asst Director Bosconet
Fr Joe Anand Irudayam (INM): Asst Director, JPN
Fr Maria Antonyraj (INM): SA Secretary, DB Higher Education Institutions
Fr Ratna Kumar Neelam (INH): Joint Secretary, DB YaR Forum; In-Charge, Migrants’ Ministry Fr Bastin Nellissery (INK): SA Delegate, BOSCOM
Fr Anthonimuthu Jayaprakash (ING): Coordinator of the Economers’ Network

Other confreres are continuing their term of office:

Fr Francisco Pereira (INB): SA Coordinator, Education to Faith Fr Banzelao Teixeira (INP): SA Coordinator, Salesian Formation Fr Eugene Florence (INT): Director, DBSM
Br Barnabas Khriam (INS): Asst Director, DBSM

Fr Britto Francis (INT): Member, DB Tech, DBSM
Br James Marcus (INP): SA Delegate, Salesian Brothers Fr Amirtharaj Arokiyam (INM): Editor, Salesian Bulletin

I am also happy to inform you that Fr Vinod Mascarenhas (INB) is the new Secretary of the Regional. He will work from the Mumbai Provincial House where he continues to be the Rector of the community. His office email is: segretarioasiasud@sdb.org.

Gratitude to Outgoing Network Heads

On behalf of the SPCSA, I express my sincere gratitude to the confreres who finished their terms:

Fr Joseph Manippadeth (INC): Rector, SPCI House (2020-2026)
Fr Noble Kollithanthu (INC): Asst Director DBTech (2024-2026)
Fr George Chempakathinal (INC): Asst Director Bosconet (2022-2026)
Fr Joby Joseph Manjakattil (INS): SA Coordinator, DB Higher Education Institutions (2023-2026) Fr Francis Bosco (INM): Joint Secretary, DB YaR Forum; In-Charge, Migrants’ Ministry (2023- 2026)
Fr Ernest Rosario (INM): SA Delegate, BOSCOM (2019-2026)
Fr Joy Nedumparambil (INK): Coordinator of the Economers’ Network (2023-2026)

We wish God’s blessings on them and their new responsibilities in their provinces.

Salesian Family Major Superiors’ Meeting

The Major Superiors of the Salesian Family of the South Asia Region met on 6 March 2026 at Don Bosco Institute (DBI), Kharguli, Guwahati. There were 42 participants — the General Councillor for the South Asia Region, and the Superiors General and Provincials of the seven branches of the Salesian Family present in South Asia (SDB, FMA, MSMHC, SMA, SMI, VSDB, and the Disciples).

Fr Joseph Manippadeth SDB, the South Asia Delegate for the Salesian Family, presented an overview of the Salesian Family. Thereafter, representatives of the branches of the Salesian Family presented their charism, statistics and current focus areas in mission: Fr Biju Michael (SDB, Geneal Councillor for South Asia), Sr Leelamma Pallipparambil (FMA, PCI President), Sr Christine Mynsong (MSMHC, Superior General), Sr Laly Thomas (SMA, General Councillor), Sr Jane Nadackal (SMI, Superior General), Sr Mabel Dhar (VSDB, Superior General), and Fr Joseph D’Souza (The Disciples, Founder). The Salesian Family in South Asia comprises 7,668 religious members working in 1,051 presences; there is direct collaboration in more than one hundred presences. The participants devoted two sessions to a “Conversation in the Spirit” to discern ways of strengthening collaboration in the Salesian mission in South Asia. They converged on several concrete proposals and reviewed the implementation of the proposals of the previous meeting held in 2022.

We are grateful to the Provincial and the Confreres of the Salesian Province of Guwahati, and the Rector and the Community of DBI Guwahati for hosting these meetings and for their hospitality. Special thanks to the SPCSA Secretary, Fr Johny P.D. for coordinating all the organizational aspects.

Fr Biju Michael, SDB
General Councillor, South Asia Region - asiasud@sdb.org