(ANS – Rome) – On 12^th December 2014, the Rector Major, Rev. Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, with the consent of his Council, has appointed Rev. Fr. Mathew Thonikuzhiyil SDB (known also as Joyce) as the 7th Provincial of the Sacred Heart Province of Bangalore, India, for the period of 2015-2021.

Fr. Thonikuzhiyil was born on 11th October 1963 at Teekoy, in Kerala. He made his first profession on 24th May 1982 at Kotagiri and was ordained a priest on 3rd January 1992. In 1998 he completed his licentiate in Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical Salesian University, Rome.

He served as Rector of Don Bosco Cultural Centre, Vennala, Kochi, from 2000 to 2006. He was Rector-cum-Novice Master for six years from 2007 to 2013 at Mount Don Bosco, Padivayal, Kerala. He has been reappointed Rector of Don Bosco Cultural Centre, Vennala in May 2013 which office he continues to hold to date.

He has also served for short periods in Aluva, Mannuthy and in the Provincial House of Bangalore. At the provincial level he has worked as the delegate for Salesian Past Pupils for a period of three years.

He takes over from Fr. Thomas Anchukandam SDB the animation and governance of a province that has 345 confreres in 43 Salesian Presences spread over the two Indian States of Karnataka and Kerala, besides its missionary involvements in Nepal and Yemen.

Published 15/12/2014