Rev. Fr. Biju Michael, the Regional Councillor for South Asia, arrived in Ranchi on 12th October, 2020 and visited all the communities in Chotanagpur starting with Don Bosco Kokar in Ranchi (Jharkhand) and concluding in Don Bosco Jharsuguda (Odisha). All the communities went out of their way to show their love and hospitality and welcomed the Regional Councillor with the traditional washing of hands, giving him the shawl of honour and bouquet of flowers accompanied by cultural songs and dances.
The animation meetings were held mostly for groups of communities in convenient places like Kokar (Jharkhand), Gumla (Jharkhand), Kuarmunda (Odisha). The meetings began with an animation on Leadership from a biblical perspective, analysing leadership in the Old Testament, especially as carried out by the priest, the prophet and the king. In the New Testament the three ministries converged in Jesus. Fr. Biju stated that Provincial leadership contains this element of convergences, but these ministries can be delegated to the Provincial Team or other confreres. But the responsibility of the Provincial for all aspects of governances cannot be delegated. So the discernment process should identify such a person capable of responsible governance, without other considerations clouding this process unduly. Whereas community discernment identifies the qualities required for a provincial, the individual discernment has to nominate in the order of preference three persons in whom these qualities may be found in varying degrees. This nomination is eventually to be sent to the Regional. Fr. Biju’s animation and clarification of doubts helped the confreres to take part in the nomination process with great enthusiasm.
The Regional Councillor visited all the communities around, often braving long distances and bad roads. He showed his particular appreciation for works for the poorest of the poor in places like Jargo-Kodeng in Purulia Dt., (West Bengal), Rurumkocha or Garigaon near Ranchi (Jharkhand). These works carried out on behalf of the poor and the marginalized, and eradicating poverty from some 500,000 youth in India is one of the important projects of his sessennium.
Fr. Palattykoonathan Varghese SDB
Fr. Babu Varghese SDB