Salesians elect Indian to third highest post Published: 8:47 pm, March 27, 2014 Story By: C M Paul
Guwahati: The Salesians have elected an Indian as the Formation Councilor, the third highest post in the order started by Saint Don Bosco in the 19th century. Earlier, the 27th General Chapter of the Salesians of Don Bosco elected their Rector Major, the superior general, and Vicar, his deputy. The Indian, who would head the training of Salesians the world over, is Father Nicholas Ivo Coelho, currently the director of the Salesian Theological Study Ratisbonne in Jerusalem. Although not a member of GC27, Fr Coelho succeeds Fr Francesco Cereda, who was elected yesterday as the Vicar. “Life is changed for Asia with the Formation Councilor from India,” says Fr V.M. Thomas, who is the Salesian provincial of Guwahati province in India and the national president of the Conference of Religious India, the association of India’s more than 125,000 religious. This was the first time an Indian is occupying such a top post in the Salesian congregation, Fr Thomas, who is a member of the general council, explained. The new Rector Major telephoned Fr Coelho in Jerusalem to ask his willingness to accept the mandate of the chapter members. “I accept the will of the Chapter and see here the will of God for me and for the Congregation and I hope to do my best with your help and God’s, Don Bosco and Mary Help of Christians” said Fr Coelho responding positively while the assembly responded with thunderous applause. Fr Coelho was born October 15, 1958 in Mumbai, India. He entered the Salesian novitiate of Yercaud in 1976, he made his first vows May 24, 1977, in the same city, and perpetual vows exactly 7 years later in Mumbai. He was ordained a priest on December 27, 1987 at Panaji, capital of Goa. He studied philosophy at the Pontifical University Jnana- Deepa Vidyapeeth at Pune and Theology at the Kristu Jyoti College in Bangalore. In 1994 he obtained a doctorate in philosophy at the Gregorian University in Rome with a thesis on the thought of the Canadian theologian Bernard Lonergan, entitled: ” The development of the concept of the Universal Viewpoint in the thought of Bernard Lonergan : Insight to the method in Theology. “ In the same year, he was appointed director of the Salesian Philosophate at Nashik, a role he retained until 2001, and once again from 2008 to 2011 – having served in the intervening years as Provincial of the Mumbai province. Between 2007 and 2008 he was part of the Preparatory Commission for the 26th General Chapter. In 2011 he was appointed Director of the Salesian Theological Study of Jerusalem. http://mattersindia.com/salesians-elect-indian-to-third-highest-post/ http://www.infoans.org/1.asp?Lingua=1&sez=1&sotsez=13&doc=10502