I am very happy to inform you that Dn. Boris Nixon Mengame Ebale from Cameroon will be ordained a Priest on the 14th of July 2018 at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Sangmelima, Cameroon. He will be the fourth person to be ordained Priest for MSFS from Chad- 8 Cameroon Mission. We wish Dn. Boris God’s abundant blessings as he tread the altar of God and assure of him of our continued prayers and blessings. Fr. R. Santhosh Kumar, Councilor in charge of Formation, will represent the Province for the ordination of Dn. Boris Nixon.
| Provincial | Fr. Benny Koottanal MSFS |
| Province Councillors | Fr. R. Santhosh Kumar – Admonitor and Formation, Fr. A. Jerome, Fr. Roy Plathottathil Fr. Joy Vazhappillil Fr. Vinod Kanattu - Bursar |
| All Professed Members | 281 |
| Priests and Brothers | Priests: 215 and Brother: 01 |
| Scholastics | 72 |
| Novices | 21 |
| Minor Seminarians and Candidates | 71 |
| Formation Houses | Minor Seminary 02, Novitiate 01,Philosophate (Inter-province), Theologate 01 |
| Formation Houses outside of India | Philippines 02, Cameroon 02 |
| Educational Institutions | Schools 16, Technical School 01, P.U. College 03, Degree College 01 Music School 01 |
| Total Number of Centres in India | Karnataka 22, Kerala 13 |
| Institutions of Specialized ministries | 08 |
| Media Centre & Pastoral Centres | 01 |
| NGOs ( PSI & Fides India) | 02 |
| Number of dioceses where South West confreres are working | 40 (in India) |
My Dear Confreres,
Fraternal greetings to you from Fr. Benny. I wish each one of you God’s abundant blessings and effectiveness in your entrusted ministries. As we are in the special year in which we are celebrating our community life as religious and priests, let us recommit ourselves to wake up to the Basics of our Call as MSFS. Let us reflect once more about our Priesthood and its impact in the Church today.
On the 3rd of July 2018 Seven of our Novices made their First Profession and thus received temporary membership in our Congregation. I had the great privilege of receiving their vows during the solemn Eucharistic Celebration and giving them the necessary advises to follow genuinely the Salesian way of life. The ceremony of the first profession was attended by more than two hundred people consisting of priests and religious and our benefactors. I specially take this opportunity to thank Fr. Praful Tigga, the Novice Master, for his total commitment in forming these novices and accompanying them during their life in the novitiate.
Rev. Fr. Jose Kumblolickal was installed as the new Delegation Superior of the Philippines Delegation during the solemn Eucharistic Celebration on the 3rd of June 2018. Fr. Jose takes over the office of the Delegation Superior after Fr. Jinu Pathiyakam completed his stipulated term. I thank Fr. Jose for his generosity to be at the helm of affairs in leading the Philippines Delegation to further heights and wish him 5 God’s abundant blessings. At present Fr. Jose is in India as he has to procure the stamped tourist visa in order to secure the religious visa in the Philippines. The procedures are completed and he will be returning to the Philippines on the 30th of July 2018.
All the perpetually professed members of the Philippines Delegation gathered together on the 4th of July at Silang, in our Seminary for a day of recollection, discussion and discernment. I had the honour of animating the Delegation colloquium. During this colloquium Fr. Jose Kumblolickal welcomed the gathering, thereafter, Fr. Jinu Pathiyakam, the outgoing Delegation Superior, presented a comprehensive report of the functioning of the Delegation during his tenure. Fr. Jiji Manjackal, the Delegation Bursar presented the comprehensive financial report of the Delegation. The colloquium was a great opportunity for the members to dialogue, discuss and clarify matters concerning the challenges and future prospects of the Delegation.
My dear Confreres, in response to the call of the TMM (Trienniel Mandatory Meeting) to support the needy provinces, and at the common congregational awareness that we need to enter into further inter-provincial collaborative ministries, the South West India Province has entered into a contract to affiliate four of the members of our Province to the Franco-Swiss Province. They are Fr. Viju Mathew Kunnathottel, Fr. Jose Puthiyaparambil (Jr.), Fr. Binoy Kidangathukarottu and Fr. Johny Cheruvil. This agreement of affiliation comes into effect after seeking the consent of the individual Confreres, after entering into a written contract with the Franco-Swiss province and with the decree of the Superior General. The decree reads as follows: On the request of Fr. Yves Carron, the Provincial of Franco-Swiss Province, with the consent of his council and following due procedures and due consultation with Fr. Benny Koottanal, the Provincial of South West India Province, and his council, Fr. Viju Mathew Kunnathottel, Fr. Jose Puthiyaparambil (Jr.), Fr. Binoy Kidangathukarottu and Fr. Johny Cheruvil are detached from South West India Province and affiliated to FrancoSwiss Province with rights and obligations in the Franco-Swiss Province with effect from June 12, 2018. I wish our Confreres who are affiliated to the Franco-Swiss Province God’s abundant blessings and joy and satisfaction in their priestly and missionary commitment. I thank Fr. Yves Carron, the Provincial of the Franco-Swiss Province and his Council for all the collaborative engagements with the South West India Province.
The South West Province was erected in 1991. It was created by bifurcating the large province of Visakhapatnam. This South West Province consists of the two states of Karnataka and Kerala in India, the Francophone countries of Chad and Cameroon in Africa and the Philippines. The province which began with 52 priests, two brothers and a few scholastics and candidates in 1991 has grown into a large one with 148 priests, 2 brothers, 94 scholastics and over a hundred candidates to date.
The first Provincial, Fr. Thomas Cherukat took over the administration of the Province on 3rd July 1991. With all the initial difficulties he with his long vision and undying zeal built it up into a strong and vibrant province remaining at the helm of affairs of the province for three consecutive terms of three years as provincial. During his tenure many new missions were opened and the existing ones were stabilized. The missions in Philippines and West Central Africa were opened in 1993 and 1999 respectively.
On 3rd July, 2000 the baton of animating the province and its administration was handed over to the second and incumbent provincial Fr. Jose Parappillil. He completed two te terms in office and under his able and dynamic leadership the Province grew into newer and greater heights day by day. He guided the whole province community into greater dynamism, activity and a deep zeal for the mission of the Congregation and the Church.
Fr. Mathew Kozhuppkkalam was elected as the third provincial on the 3rd July 2006. Under his able leadership the Province expanded and stabilized its mission and ministry. He with his hard work and enthusiasm successfully guided the province and created a true fransalian spirit of mission in the province.
Fr. Abraham Vettuvelil was appointed as the fourth provincial of the South-West India Province of the MSFS on 16th May, 2011 and he took charge officially as the new Provincial on 12th June, 2011, on the Solemnity of Pentecost. Fr. Abraham effectively guides and animates the Province in carrying out its various apostolates.
Chad-Cameroon, Philippines, Germany, Autria, USA, Australia