NEWS
Salesians in South Asia render a wide range of mental health services through specialized institutes and community programs. Niraivagam (Chennai) offers psychosocial services, remedial education, and training; Prafulta (Mumbai) provides counseling and awareness programs; and the Salesian Psychological Association (SPA) coordinates professionals addressing youth issues like depression and trauma. They combat digital addiction with Digital Detox Retreats, educator workshops, and the DREAM Project (Kerala), while community initiatives like the Young at Risk Forum, student‑developed wellness apps, and migrant counseling services extend care to vulnerable groups. All efforts are enriched by the Sumedha model, integrating psychology and spirituality for holistic well‑being.
Twenty-eight years ago, Prafulta began with five psychologists, a modest space and an ambitious dream: to make psychological care accessible to those who needed it. Today, Prafulta – Centre for Psychological Wellness has grown into a vibrant mental health initiative reaching tens of thousands of people every year.
Fr. Joseph Jeyaraj Swaminathan SDB of the Salesian Province of Chennai, has been appointed as a Consultor to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development by the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, on 11 August 2026. He will serve in this role for a five-year term from 2026 to 2031.
A student team of Salesian College (Autonomous), Siliguri, has launched LuvlyU — Love, Understand and Value Yourself as You Are — a digital platform designed to help young people reconnect with their inner spark and confidently share their authentic selves. The initiative was created by M.Sc Psychology student Anand Kumar and RadioClub members.
The South Asian Formation Commission (SAFC) conducted a five-day training programme on Formation towards Affective Maturity at the Don Bosco Provincial House, Chennai, from August 7–11, bringing together 38 priests and nuns serving as formators in novitiates and other formation houses across various congregations. The programme centred on familiarising participants with a newly designed manual for novices on psycho-sexual and celibate integration.
The book "Psychospiritual Dynamics at Midlife and Beyond: Guideposts for a Healthy and Happy Second Life," authored by the Salesian priest and psychologist Dr Jose Parappully, was released in New Delhi by the Most Rev. Dr Anil J. T. Couto, the Archbishop of Delhi, giving the first copy to Fr. Davis Maniparamben, Salesian Provincial of New Delhi and Sr. Elsa Muttathu PBVM, the Secretary of the Conference of Religious of India.
Fr. Peter Vincent Lourdes, a pioneering Salesian priest and one of India’s first priest psychologists, celebrated his 100th birthday at Nitika Don Bosco, Kolkata, marking a century of remarkable service in counselling, spiritual direction, and education. The centenarian priest, who made his religious profession on December 6, 1944, and was ordained on December 5, 1954, continues to inspire with his resilience. He beat COVID-19 at 94 and hoisted the Tricolour on Independence Day 2020 before leaving Fortis Hospital.
The Salesian Psychological Association (SPA) South Asia celebrated its Silver Jubilee during its Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) on 17 and 18 January at Don Bosco Provincial House, Bangalore. The Salesian Psychological Association (SPA) South Asia, founded in 1999, is a non-profit group functioning under the auspices of the Salesian Provincial Conference of South Asia (SPCSA). It consists of members of the Salesian family trained in the psychological sciences, committed to deepening their professional knowledge and skills and offering psychological services and training, especially for those in the helping professions.
The Salesian Psychological Association (SPA) South Asia organised a five-day residential workshop on “Growing towards Psychosexual and Celibate Maturity”, at Ashir Bhavan, the Pastoral Centre of the Archdiocese of Verapoly, Kochi, from 15 to 19 November, for Priests, Brothers and Sisters. Dr. Father Jose Parappully SDB, Director of Sumedha Centre for Psychological and Spiritual Wellbeing at Jharmari, Punjab, and the founding Secretary of SPA and former President, facilitated the workshop.
The Salesian Psychological Association (SPA) India is offering a unique opportunity for priests, religious sisters, and brothers to deepen their understanding of sexuality and integrate it into their celibate lifestyles. This five-day residential workshop, scheduled to begin on 15 November 2024, will take place at Ashir Bhavan, Ernakulam, Cochin, Kerala. The event will address contemporary issues related to sexual boundaries, intimacy, celibacy, and psychological maturity.
A two-day International Workshop on “Mobile and Pornography Addictions in the New Digital World” was successfully organized by the Salesian Psychological Association (SPA) at the Don Bosco Provincial House, Bangalore, on August 10-11. The event attracted significant participation, with 65 attendees comprising psychologists, counsellors, principals, teachers, social workers, and research scholars from across India.
Don Bosco College Anagdikadavu successfully concluded a six-month certificate course in counselling psychology organized by the Department of Psychology. The ceremony, held at the college auditorium on February 13, saw the distribution of certificates to 35 participants from diverse backgrounds, marking the culmination of their journey into the realm of counselling psychology.
The 20th anniversary of the inauguration and blessing of Sumedha Centre, a place for the psycho-spiritual journey, was celebrated on March 19, the feast day of St. Joseph, Patron of the Centre.
Sumedha Centre was set up and inaugurated at Don Bosco specialized Training Centre, Don Bosco Provincial House, New Delhi, on March 19, 2003. In March 2009, the centre shifted its operations to Jeolikote, Uttarakhand, in the diocese of Bareilly. On March 19, 2022, the centre was again moved to the current location at Don Bosco Senior Secondary School premises at Jharmari, Punjab.
As part of the Colle project, we offer an international volunteering experience with young people from all over the world, who live in community and share their lives, …
DOWNLOAD PDF for more information.
Common Spiritual Direction Series
✥ CSDS ✤ Download Your Kit Free
Join the Conversation
Your experience matters. Whether you’re a youth leader, educator, or simply passionate about making a difference—your insights add value that reporting alone can't capture. When you comment, you're not just reacting—you're helping shape a thoughtful, encouraging community.
Publisher: Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Year of publication: 2026
Available from: 4 March 2026
Pages: 928 pp., PaperbackMost Viewed News
DBYA South Asia Delegates GoogleMeet Focuses on Young People Amidst Laudato Si` Year
MumbaiSalesians` Clinical Psychologist Father [Dr.] Ajoy Fernandes` Teachers` Day Gift to `Understand & Help Children with Learning Difficulties`
MumbaiSalesians Take On COVID-19 Challenge
Top Rated News
Salesian Students Launch LuvlyU to Inspire Confidence Among Peers
Delhi Police Certificate of Appreciation for Don Bosco Alaknanda Counselor
MumbaiSalesians` Clinical Psychologist Father [Dr.] Ajoy Fernandes` Teachers` Day Gift to `Understand & Help Children with Learning Difficulties`
