HOUSE ACTIVITIES

KOLKATA, 14 October – In a stirring prelude to the Kolkata Province's 2026 centenary jubilee, Fr. Pascual Chávez SDB, former Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco, led twin retreats from September 28 to October 14 at Bandel Basilica and Nitika Don Bosco, urging nearly a hundred confreres to embrace "integral mysticism and mission" as the cornerstone for revitalizing Salesian consecrated life.

The centenary retreats, themed around synthesizing contemplation and apostolic action, provided a profound blueprint for the Province—India's first Salesian foundation established in 1926—to rediscover its identity amid modern challenges. Fr. Chávez preached that authentic Christian mysticism transcends isolation, manifesting as an "ecstasy of action" where divine encounter fuels loving service to the young and marginalized.

Drawing from Pope Francis' vision of a synodal Church, Fr. Chávez called for "creative fidelity" to Don Bosco's charism: staying true to its roots while adapting to contemporary youth realities in a globalized world. He stressed prioritizing the peripheries—the poor, excluded, and society's outcasts—while integrating care for creation, intercultural dialogue, and universal brotherhood into daily mission.

Key discussions highlighted five renewal pathways: reigniting personal and communal mysticism, fostering creative fidelity, focusing on marginalized communities, deepening fraternity and synodality, and embedding environmental stewardship. In his Goodnight talks, Fr. Chávez declared Salesians must be "men of God and men for others," blending interior prayer with community life and outreach to "cherish a golden history and rewrite it in faith and mission."

Participants described the retreats as transformative, resonating with the Province's centenary aspirations to realign its efforts with the needs of today's youth. Fr. Chávez's message not only honored the Kolkata Province's pioneering legacy but also charted a spiritually deepened, missionary path forward for the entire Salesian family.

Fr. Saroj Mullick SDB

Bandel, 8 July, 2025: The Salesian Province of Kolkata, together with family members, parishioners, and clergy, gathered to bid farewell to Fr. Fabianus Kujur, SDB, who was laid to rest in the Salesian Cemetery at Bandel Basilica. Fr. Fabianus, a beloved priest and missionary hailing from Mariam Busty of the Jalpaiguri Diocese, passed into eternal rest on July 5, 2025, at Anandaloke Hospital in Siliguri, at the age of 64.

The funeral service, held at the historic Bandel Basilica, was attended by approximately 60 priests, brothers, and clerics from the Salesian Province of Kolkata, joined by companions of Fr. Fabianus from the Delhi Province. The solemn yet heartfelt ceremony reflected the profound impact Fr. Fabianus had on the communities he served, marked by his infectious joy, simplicity, and dedication to the marginalized.

The Requiem Mass, celebrated with deep reverence, saw the participation of numerous clergy and faithful. Three of Fr. Fabianus’s companions from the Delhi Province had the honor of blessing his body, a poignant tribute to their shared journey in faith. Moving obituaries were delivered by several distinguished figures, including the Regional, Bishop Thomas D’Souza of the Archdiocese of Calcutta, Bishop Nirmol Gomes of Krishnagar Diocese, Bishop Fulgence Tigga of Raiganj Diocese, Fr. Kapil Toppo, Fr. Jude, and Fr. CT Xavier. Each speaker highlighted Fr. Fabianus’s unwavering commitment to the Don Bosco charism, his love for the youth, and his pastoral zeal that touched countless lives in parishes such as Malbasey, Rinchenpong, Mirik, and Palsandamore Don Bosco.

A particularly touching moment came when Fr. Fabianus’s elder brother, residing with his family at Auxilium Parish, Gobra, delivered an obituary. He expressed profound gratitude to the Salesian Province of Kolkata for their support and companionship throughout Fr. Fabianus’s life and ministry, underscoring the deep familial and spiritual bonds fostered by the Salesian community.

Before Fr. Fabianus was laid to rest in the Salesian Cemetery, Fr. Sunil Kerketta, the Vice Provincial, offered the final blessings, entrusting Fr. Fabianus’s soul to the Good Shepherd. The ceremony concluded with a sense of peace and gratitude for a life well-lived in service to God and His people.

Fr. Fabianus Kujur’s legacy as a humble, joyful, and dedicated missionary endures in the hearts of those he served. May he rest in eternal peace, crowned with the glory of the risen Lord.