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Kolkata Salesian Province to Conclude Centenary with Installation of New Provincial
News reported by: Fr C M Paul SDB
The centenary celebrations of the Kolkata Salesian Province (1926–2026) will culminate on February 8 with the installation of Fr. Sunil Kerketta as the 18th Provincial. The solemn midday installation ceremony will be held at Nitika Don Bosco and presided over by the Salesian Rector Major, Fr. Fabio Attard, the 11th successor of Don Bosco.
Describing the significance of the moment, outgoing Provincial Fr. Joseph Pauria said in a communiqué released on January 20 that the occasion would be “a moment of grace, communion, and thanksgiving for our Province,” marking both the conclusion of the centenary year and the beginning of a new phase of leadership.
Fr. Sunil Kerketta, who hails from Gumla in Jharkhand, received his early formation at Salesian College, Sonada. His appointment as Provincial for a six-year term (2026–2032) is seen as a key step in guiding the Province into its second century of mission, with a continued focus on education, youth ministry, and social service across diverse regions.
The centenary celebrations will be accompanied by a pastoral visit of the Rector Major across the Province. Fr. Attard’s visit begins on February 5 in Kolkata with a Provincial Council meeting, followed by a visit to Siliguri, where he will meet members of the Salesian Family of North Bengal and interact with young people from Don Bosco School and Salesian College. On February 7, he will travel to Azimganj in Murshidabad to engage with youth from central Bengal, before returning to Kolkata for the concluding events on February 8.
The centenary year will formally close with a thanksgiving Eucharistic celebration at Don Bosco School, Park Circus, presided over by Fr. Attard. The celebration will be attended by past and present Provincials from 11 Salesian provinces in India, youth representatives from 40 Salesian presences, and members of the wider Salesian Family, including Sisters, Alumni, Cooperators, Volunteers, and associated congregations.
The Kolkata Salesian Province today extends beyond Bengal into Bihar, Sikkim, Bangladesh, and Nepal. It comprises 40 presences animated by 242 Salesian Fathers and Brothers, serving in 32 parishes, operating over 25 boarding facilities with coaching centres, managing 30 higher secondary schools and 13 technical and vocational institutes, and overseeing Salesian College (Autonomous) with campuses in both the hills and plains.
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