New Jesuit Provinces inaugurated in Asia and Africa
Darjeeling-Nepal Province
On 31 July, the Jesuits of Darjeeling Province and Nepal Region officially merged into one province – the Darjeeling-Nepal Province (DAN). Father General Arturo Sosa, on 12 April 2025, created this new Province by a decree that came into effect on the feast of St Ignatius of Loyola.
To mark the occasion, Jesuits from the Darjeeling-Nepal Province gathered at the Loyola Pastoral Center in Matigara. During the Mass, Fr Vernon D’Cunha, the Regional Assistant for South Asia, read the decree of Father General, erecting the new Province and appointing Fr Shajumon Chakkalakkal as its first Provincial.
As part of the celebrations, a souvenir book featuring the apostolic works of the new Province was released by Fr Vernon D’Cunha and Fr Stanislaus D’Souza, the President of the South Asian Conference.
Here are some pictures from the occasion.
Rwanda-Burundi Province
Similarly, on 31 July, the Region of Rwanda-Burundi formally became the Rwanda-Burundi Province.
Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, the Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, presided at Mass for the occasion, with the presence of Fr José Minaku Lukoli, the President of the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM), who read the decree establishing the new province.
During the homily, Cardinal Czerny encouraged a constant attention to living together and to reconciliation and reminded everyone that we are called to build bonds of love, harmony, and collaboration.
Fr Fabien Gasigwa, the Provincial, highlighted that becoming a Province is a mission that Jesus entrusts to every member of the Province to nurture with love and care.
Below are some photos
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