Greetings from India

Dear Friends of the Fransalians,

as we joyfully celebrate Christmas in this Jubilee Year of Hope I extend to each one of you my heartfelt greetings of peace, joy and the blessings of this holy season. Christmas is the joyful message of God that He has come to dwell among us in humility and love born in a manger to bring salvation and hope to all humanity. We live in a world full of uncertainties marked by wars, divisions and economic challenges. Christmas invites us to fix our eyes on the Child Jesus, the Prince of Peace who dispels the darkness of fear with the light of faith. The birth of Jesus reassures us that God has not abandoned us but walks with us carrying our burdens and leading us toward a future of grace. May this jubilee year of Hope and this holy season of Christmas inspire us to open our hearts to God’s mercy to embrace the poor and the marginalized and to become instruments of peace in our families and communities. May the Infant Jesus bless every home with joy, unity and divine grace. I wish you all a blessed Christmas and a grace-filled New Year 2026.

A big thank you for your help towards the jubilee memorial project

As a jubilee memorial on the occasion of the golden jubilee of my priestly ordination, I had initiated a Help for Self- Help Program in favour of some of the poor women in our mission centres to become self-reliant through self-employmnt. There are many households in our missions struggling to maintain themselves due to lack of employment for the housewives. Many of these young women are interested in learning tailoring skills and if they have a tailoring machine they will be able to earn some stable income for the family. I am happy to inform you that the response to my appeal for help was overwhelming. I received a sum of Euro 10.700/- towards this project. A total of twenty-five electric sewing machines were distributed to twenty-five women in our missions of Gokunte and Vinobhanagar in Kolar district of Karnataka. Some of the women already have the necessary skills and they are given the machines right away. A group of 15 women from Vinobhanagar are being trained for three months under the guidance of religious nuns. They will receive their machines at the end of the training. With the remaining funds available I hope to help another batch of 25 women in the coming months and thereby bringing some joy and happiness to 50 poor families. I thank you for your generous response to my appeal. May God bless you all.

Good news from Chad-Cameroon

It was in the year 1999 that we the Fransalianss started our first mission in the diocese of Doba in Chad. In the following year the Mission was extended to Cameroon. The growth of these two missions was very rapid in spite of the enormous trials and difficulties. In the year 2018 the Mission was raised to the status of a Delegation. Taking into account the tremendous growth of the Delegation in the past 25 years, the Congregation has now taken a decision to raise the Delegation to the status of a Region. It is indeed a very good news for all of us. Certainly there are greater challenges ahead and much more scope and opportunities awaiting this flourishing Mission. We shall continue to pray earnestly for the new Region that the Lord may shower his blessings on the people of Chad-Cameroon and the missionaries who toil hard to spread the Good News of God’s Kingdom in these parts of the world.

Please support our ongoing programs

Though we have suspended our program of individually sponsoring a child, it remains our highest priority to continue supporting the needy children through our schools and Boys’ Homes. I request you therefore to make your contribution towards the education of the poor children both boys and girls. Help for Higher Education, Emergency Medical Aid to the Poor, Help for Self-Help, Help for the Homeless and providing safe and clean drinking water to the villagers are some of the ongoing projects for which we depend very much on your contributions. May God bless you all. Happy Christmas. Happy New Year

Yours cordially
Pater Thomas Cherukat, MSFS

Greetings from Chad-Cameroon

My dear friends and well-wishers,

greetings from Fransalians of Chad Cameroon. First of all, I would like to wish each and every one of you a very happy and Christ-filled Christmas. Christmas is a feast of great joy and hope for the world. The unconditional love of God found its concrete expression when God sent His only Son to the world.

From Delegation to a Region

It is with profound joy and immense satisfaction that we announce a major milestone in our congregation's history: the Chad-Cameroon Delegation is being elevated to the juridical status of a Region. This is more than a mere administrative change. It is a powerful testament to the two decades of strategic foresight, unwavering perseverance, and vibrant missionary dynamism in the heart of the Francophone Africa. The Fransalian Mission in Chad was officially opened on 12 November 1999 when the pioneering team of three priests from India was entrusted with a challenging task of developing the new Mission of Maybombay in the diocese of Doba in the south of Chad. The pioneers had to face immediately immense hardships of building up the necessary infrastructure, lack of electricity, frequent attack of malaria, and the challenge of linguistic and cultural adaptation. Yet, through their determination and profound faith in God, they triumphed, laying a strong foundation. Recognizing the necessity for a regional co-ordination, the mission was quickly expanded to the neighboring country of Cameroon in the year 2000. In the following years several batches of young missionaries from India joined this Mission. As a result the Mission continued to grow rapidly and it was raised to the Status of a Delegation in the year 2018. The Delegation now boasts of a total of 8 communities, 6 parishes, 4 schools, 3 boys’ homes, and 3 formation houses namely a theologate, novitiate, and a minor seminary. The eight main centres are spread over the two countries of Chad and Cameroon. It is home to 24 priests (including 13 native priests), 3 deacons, 42 professed members, 8 novices and 23 candidates. The elevation of the Delegation to a Region marks a pivotal moment, signaling a new chapter of sustained development and increased responsibility for our confreres in Chad and Cameroon. We would like to thank each one of you for your continued support and encouragement. You have played an important role for the growth of this Mission to a Delegation and now to the Status of a Region. We remain ever grateful to you.

Education as a priority

We express our deepest gratitude to the Lord for His continuous blessings upon our social and educational ministry in Chad and Cameroon. Our four schools are catering to hundreds of children from remote villages and the three MSFS Boys' Homes attached to these schools are not just places of shelter. They are dynamic centers where future leaders are formed through faith, dedication, and academic excellence. We are particularly grateful to all our benefactors around the world for their sustained support and commendable efforts. Your generosity is directly shaping the lives and development of children in this remote region. The positive impact of our Boys’ Homes has led to a rapidly increasing demand for admission. We are receiving far more requests than we can currently handle. This expansion across Chad and Cameroon is a testament to the powerful combination of our MSFS charism and the faith and generosity of our benefactors.

Caring for the girl child

As we do not have the facilities yet for providing residential education for the poor girls, we are reaching out to them directly through their parents and supporting them financially to continue their education in our schools . We are looking forward that some congregations of women religious will come to collaborate with us for the education of girls.

Thank you for being part of this life-changing mission. We look forward with great faith and anticipation to witnessing the continued flourishing of the MSFS charism in Central Africa under its new Regional leadership.
Vive Jesus.

Yours cordially
Pater Manoj Arackal, MSFS

Greetings from India

Dear Friends of the Fransalians,

It is with immense joy and gratitude to God that I greet each one of you and wish you the blessings of God and pray for all your intentions and concerns.

A Period of Thanksgiving

Our Mission in Chad has just celebrated the silver jubilee of its existence in November 2024. Our Mission in Cameroon was started one year later and therefore the period between 2024 –2026 is indeed a time of twin jubilees for us. We the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales join our friends and benefactors to thank God for the great things the Lord has done for the People of God in Chad and Cameroon during the past 25 years. God has blessed his people. God has indeed blessed the humble service of the numerous missionaries who have served this Mission with much devotion and commitment. The Fransalian Family in Chad-Cameroon is experiencing tremendous growth in local vocations promising a bright future for the continued growth of this Mission in educational, health care and developmental works. We thank our numerous friends and benefactors who have stood by the missionaries all these years with their prayers and financial support for the development of these Missions.

Sacerdotal Golden Jubilee

I thank God for the precious gift of priesthood that He bestowed on me 50 years ago. It is a happy coincidence that I could celebrate my sacerdotal golden jubilee during this period of twin-jubilees of Chad-Cameroon Mission. Apart from the many blessings that I have received from God during the past 50 years, I am extremely grateful to God for the opportunity given to me to be an instrument in initiating our Chad-Cameroon Mission and to be part of its growth and development.

HELP FOR SELF HELP: A JUBILEE MEMORIAL PROJECT

Tailoring Machines for the Poor Housewives

As a jubilee memorial I have planned a small project in favour of some of the poor women in our mission centres to make them self-reliant through self-employment. There are many households in our missions struggling to maintain themselves due to lack of employment for the housewives. They do not have the basic educational qualification to seek a job. They are housewives with three or four children completely depending on the daily wages of the husbands. Even the husbands are not always assured of a regular work. Many of these young women are interested in learning tailoring skills and if they have a tailoring machine they will be able to earn some stable income for the family.

I am happy to gratefully acknowledge the good response I have received for my appeal for donations towards this project. A sum of Euro 10.700/- has been collected through our Freundeskreis Verein. I thank each of the donors for their generosity. The project has already been initiated with three beneficiaries receiving the tailoring machines bringing much joy and happiness to the concerned families. The process of identifying the deserving women is going on.

A CHANGE OF FOCUS FOR OUR PROJECTS

I would like to inform you that a change of focus for all our projects has become necessary due to many practical difficulties. As you are aware, my health has been deteriorating since quite some time. All the same I would like to continue the good work with a few selected projects prioritizing them according to their feasibility in our mission context with immediate effect.

1. Suspension of the Program Adoption aus der Ferne / Schuelerpatenschaften

This program has been one of our major initiatives for the past several years. Hundreds of children have been helped to complete their school education both in Chad-Cameroon and in India. Of late the program has suffered a setback. There are only very few individual sponsors who come forward to support a particular child. We find it also very difficult to keep up the individual contacts between the child and its sponsor due to many factors that are beyond our control in the present circumstances. Hence we are constrained to discontinue this program with immediate effect.

However those sponsors who choose to continue supporting the education of poor children in our missions are most welcome to do so. I would like to assure them that their contributions will always be used for the education of poor children in our villages, schools and hostels even though the personal contacts or individual reporting is no longer possible. Those of you who would like to make a general contribution towards our educational programs are also welcome to do so. I thank all our sponsors for their steady support and encouragement for this program for the past several years.

2. Support for the poor children in our schools and hostels

We the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales are running 10 hostels/Boys’ Homes for poor children: 7 in India and 3 in Chad-Cameroon. Hundreds of children are given free education and maintenance through these hostels. As we are suspending the Schuelerpatenschaften program, we propose to mobilize funds for the support of these hostels attached to our schools. Since our hostels are meant only for boys, we propose to set apart a portion of the funds collected to help the poor girls attending our schools. Hence I earnestly seek your continued support for the upkeep of our hostels and schools in Chad-Cameroon and in India.

3. Help for Higher Education

This is a program we would like to continue. From the limited resources we receive, we shall set apart a specific amount to help a few most deserving students who pursue their higher studies.

4. Emergency Medical Help to the Poor

This is an ongoing program. We have been able to help quite a few persons who were in emergency need of medical aid as most of the poor do not have any insurance cover. Your contributions towards this worthy cause are earnestly solicited.

5. Help for Self-Help

Help for Self- Help is yet another program that we like to continue. Housewives without any employment is the target group for this program. We hope to initiate projects for them to make them self-reliant through self-employment (eg. tailoring machines, petite shops etc.) .

6. Drinking Water Project in Chad

This is an ongoing program on a small scale due to the paucity of funds. We will continue this program as long as we receive donations towards this project.

Thank you, my dear friends, for your continued support and encouragement for our work in the missions. Our Missions in Chad-Cameroon and in India are flourishing thanks to God’s blessings and your steady support. May God Bless you.

Yours cordially
P. Thomas Cherukat, MSFS

Greetings from Chad-Cameroon Mission

Dear Friends and Well-wishers,

I greet each one of you with the peace and joy of Christ.

Twenty-Five Years of Grace and Growth in Cameroon: A Jubilee of Gratitude

As we reflect on the incredible journey of the Fransalians in Cameroon, our hearts overflow with profound gratitude to God. The year 2025 marks a significant milestone: 25 years since the opening of our Mission in Cameroon, a quarter-century defined by God's unwavering assistance and divine guidance. Looking back, we see His hand in every step, every challenge overcome, and every soul touched.

Tribute to a Visionary: Pater Thomas Cherukat, MSFS

This jubilee year is made even more special as we have just celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the Priestly Ordination of Fr. Thomas Cherukat,MSFS, the visionary and Founding Father of our Mission in Cameroon. Fifty years a priest, Fr. Thomas's dedication, foresight, and tireless efforts laid the groundwork for all that we have achieved. His commitment to spreading the Gospel and nurturing vocations has borne fruit beyond measure, and we are eternally indebted to his faithful service. He truly exemplifies the spirit of Agape, selfless love in action. We wish him all the best and our prayers. He played a pivotal role in the history of the MSFS Mission in Chad and Cameroon. He was the pioneer missionary in Cameroon and was the Mission Superior from 2000 - 2008. Amidst a lot of difficulties, he laid a strong foundation for this mission.

Pater Thomas Cherukat, celebrating the golden jubilee of his priesthood marks a memorable milestone of 50 years of dedicated priestly service. Being the pioneer of the MSFS Congregation in Cameroon speaks volumes about his courage, missionary zeal and vision. His contributions as the first Rector of Suvidya College in Bangalore and as the first Provincial of the South West India Province highlight his leadership qualities and his ability to build up the Missions by guiding people and establishing institutions. Pater Thomas has served as the first Assistant General of the Congregation and the first Director of Mission Development office in Rome extending his services far beyond regional boundaries, shaping the MSFS globally. We are proud of this great Fransalian who is a “father-figure” for all of us in the Chad-Cameroon Mission. He has certainly left an indelible mark. We salute Pater Thomas the great missionary and visionary and thank God for the gift of his person to our Congregation. We wish him good health of body and mind and many more years of fruitful service in the vineyard of the Lord. Ad Multos Annos

A Harvest of Vocations and Unwavering Support

God's blessings continue to pour upon us, manifesting in the vibrant growth of our Congregation in Chad and Cameroon. We rejoice over the gift of four new priests and five deacons this year. Their ordination reinforces our commitment to serve and expand the reach of God's love in Chad and Cameroon. Adding to our joy is the first batch of eleven novices making their first religious profession a flourishing sign of the "boom in vocations" we are experiencing. A new batch of eight candidates have just been initiated into the novitiate. This flow of young men discerning a life of service with the MSFS Congregation fills us with immense hope for the future. It demonstrates a deep spiritual awakening and a desire among the youth to dedicate their lives to God and humanity, a true testament to the fertile ground of faith here.

Our Deepest Gratitude to Our Friends and Benefactors

None of this remarkable progress would be possible without the unwavering generosity of our benefactors. To Agape Freundeskreis, and all our supporters around the globe, we extend our heartfelt thanks. Your continuous financial, spiritual, and moral support has been the lifeblood of our mission. You have enabled us to build schools and hostels, provide formation for our seminarians, care for the vulnerable, and spread the message of Christ's love. Your trust in our mission strengthens our resolve and fuels our efforts every single day. You are truly co-missionaries with us in this sacred endeavour. As we look ahead, we pray for continued grace, more vocations, and the enduring support that allows us to fulfil our calling. May God bless you abundantly for your kindness and partnership in this remarkable missionary journey.

Yours Cordially
Pater Manoj Arackal, MSFS

A REPORT ON OUR EDUCATIONAL SERVICE IN CHAD BY Pater MADJITA TANIBE Joseph, MSFS

1. St. Francis De Sales School and Boys' Home, Bero, Chad

The SFS School at Bero, built by the Fransalians in the diocese of Doba in Chad is a nursery cum primary school. Its purpose is to facilitate quality education and provide learning opportunities for the underprivileged children from Bero and its surrounding areas helping them integrate easily into society. The 2024-2025 academic year of SFS School at Bero ran from October 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025. We had a total of 364 pupils: 120 girls and 244 boys. The overall success rate for the school was 70.93% with boys achieving 84.61% and girls 52.08%. Lack of Parental Follow-up, Student Absenteeism and Student Dropouts are some of the major challenges the school faces. Majority of parents are illiterate and as a result not able to assist the children at home. Attached to the school is the St. Francis de Sales Boys' Home (boarding facility). This year we began with 60 boys. The children are given opportunities for their overall development through the various programs conducted every year. Physical activities, cultural and social events, academic support, excursions, pilgrimages and daily spiritual exercises are some of the programs arranged.

This year we achieved a 100% success rate in academic performance with all the boys promoted to the next class. Notably, the top five students of the SFS School this year were all residents of the SFS Boys' Home. Parents are delighted to witness positive changes in their children. Despite the many successes, we also face serious difficulties such as health issues, adjustment problems and behavioural defects among the boys. We thank God and our many benefactors for making it possible for us to serve so many poor children in their overall growth in education and personality development.

2. Saint Francis de Sales GAKI, Doba, Chad

The Saint Francis de Sales Educational Complex was founded in the year 2018 by the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales. Over the past seven years, the school has experienced significant growth in all areas, becoming a leading educational institution in the Doba district. The 2024–2025 academic year officially began on October 2, 2024, and successfully concluded on June 6, 2025. The school enrolled a total of 781 students, comprising 450 in primary school and 331 in secondary and high school. The dedicated and professional teaching staff included 8 teachers in the primary section and approximately 58 in the secondary section.

Academically, the school year was structured with monthly continuous assessments and formal trimester examinations. Each term included a closely monitored, structured evaluation to ensure high academic standards and consistent progress. Beyond routine instruction, the school school conducted conferences on child protection and seminars promoting academic success. These initiatives fostered awareness, personal responsibility, and motivation among students. One of the notable pedagogical innovation was the creation of a student-managed cooperative, an initiative aimed at cultivating leadership, entrepreneurship, and participatory management within the student body. This year, the school achieved a 100% success rate in the primary level. Clear improvements were noted in student discipline, academic engagement, and overall intellectual growth—a reflection of the school’s pedagogical direction and the unwavering commitment of the teaching staff.

A rich program of extracurricular activities complemented academic life. Several cultural and spiritual highlights marked the year. Demonstrating the school's commitment to service and solidarity, students also participated in a charity outreach during the Lenten season. With generous contributions from their families and their own initiative, students collected gifts and supplies, which were then offered to children at a local orphanage. This meaningful activity provided an opportunity for students to practice compassion and live the values of the Lenten observance.

For the next academic year, we require eight additional classrooms. Construction of a building with 12 classrooms is currently underway, and we hope these will be ready by the end of August 2025. We are resolutely focused on making the school a center of academic excellence in the region. With a clear vision, a professional staff, and an engaged student body, the groundwork for this transformation has already been laid. The school extends heartfelt gratitude to all who contributed to the success of this academic year. With renewed energy the school community looks to the future with confidence, determined to nurture each student entrusted to its care in body, mind, and spirit remaining faithful to the Fransalian Vision: “ Education of the heart is the heart of Education”.

3. SFS Boys’ Home at GAKI, Doba, Chad

We express our gratitude to the Lord for His continuous blessings. We are particularly grateful to all our benefactors for your continued support and commendable efforts in the development of children in Chad. During the 2024-2025 academic year, we provided shelter for 85 boys at our residential facility. Despite initial challenges such as a rise in food crop prices compared to the previous year we have successfully concluded the year. The majority of the boys ranked among the top three in their respective classes during examinations. To celebrate their achievements, we presented them gifts during the Christmas and Easter festivities. Comparing this year with previous ones, we have observed significant improvements in our students' character, behaviour, and academic performance. They are striving for excellence and aspiring to become responsible citizens, contributing to the nation's growth.

There is a growing demand for the accommodation in SFS boys’ Home at Gaki. In the course of time we would like to increase our facilities so that we can accommodate at least 150 students in the Boys’ Home. To accommodate more students to SFS school at Gaki we began the construction of tweleve more class rooms in January. We've received significant support from several donor agencies. Currently we are in the process of completing the ground floor. We hope to complete eight classrooms by September this year. Let us unite and be partners for the overall advancement of children in Chad.

4. Comboni School, Doba, Chad

The national policy of Chad recognizes education as a key driver of economic development, with the ultimate goal of improving the living standards of its citizens. However, pervasive issues such as mass poverty, ignorance, and disease hinder the speedy realization of economic and social progress. Responding to this critical need, the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales established a school in Comboni parish, Doba diocese. The Comboni parish took the lead by opening both primary and secondary schools within its premises. The establishment of this Catholic school directly responds to the public demand from the faithful. The creation of this Catholic school in the parish is intended to instil in people the value and importance of education. Gradually there is a growing awareness that education is vital for acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to improve social, political, and economic conditions for the well-being and happiness of individuals and society at large. The 2024-2025 academic year commenced on October 1, 2024. Currently, we have 410 students in primary school across all levels and 771 students in secondary school. We thank our friends, benefactors and donor agencies for helping us to bring education to Chad which is still one of the least developed country in the world.

Greetings from India

Dear Friends of Fransalians,

Greetings and prayerful good wishes to each one of you. It is with great joy and gratitude that I write to you today. The year 2024 is a jubilee year for our Chad-Cameroon Mission. It was in the year 1999 that the first Team of Fransalian Missionaries from India arrived in Chad. One year later the Mission was extended to the neighboring country of Cameroon. Five years later our association was registered at Moembris in Germany under the name “ Freundeskreis der Missionare des hl. Franz von Sales /Fransalianer e.V”. The association was established mainly to mobilize support for our Missions in Chad and Cameroon.

I thank God for the opportunity given to me to be part of the pioneering team for a period of 8 years from 2000 to 2008. The beginnings were very hard and challenging. Learning new languages and integrating with the local culture in the midst of severe health hazards like malaria and typhoid has always been a herculean task for the new arrivals from India. Lack of basic infrastructure was another big hurdle. The early Missionaries had to wait for seven years to have a proper house of their own. They had to travel long distances on very bad roads in the harsh landscape of Chad and Cameroon. Trusting in God’s providence the missionaries worked hard to develop the mission step by step. The Mission lost two young priests by accidents. Some others had to leave the Mission due to serious health issues.

The Chad-Cameroon Mission is now well established with a steady growth in personnel as well as in the number of parishes and educational institutions. The Mission now consists of 20 priests, 42 students in priestly formation, 5 novices and several candidates. Most of them are Africans hailing from our own missions in Chad and Cameroon. The Fransalians have built up 7 large parishes besides establishing 4 educational institutions and 2 children’s homes. There are 2 formation houses for candidates to priesthood in Cameroon. A Novitiate House is under construction.

We thank God for his providential care to have made this Mission what it is today. We thank all our friends and benefactors and more especially the members of our Verein in Germany for their constant support by way of prayers and financial help. I wish and pray that the Chad-Cameroon Mission will grow from strength to strength in the years to come. May this jubilee year bring renewed blessings to the people of Chad and Cameroon. I congratulate our missionaries and their collaborators in Chad and Cameroon for the great work they are doing to bring the message of love and compassion to the poorest of the poor.

Cordially
Pater Thomas Cherukat, MSFS

Greetings from Chad-Cameroon

My dear Confreres and friends of the Fransalians,

Cordial greetings and good wishes from the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales working in the Chad-Cameroon Mission. I am very happy to inform you that the year 2024-2025 is the Silver Jubilee year of our Mission in Chad and Cameroon. In this year of grace we thank God for all his blessings on our work in the past 25 years. We thank all our friends, benefactors and collaborators for helping us throughout the past 25 years. We also remember with gratitude all our pioneer missionaries who have given their best to build up this Mission. The pioneers planted, their successors watered and God gave the increase....

God has blessed our Mission. This is a Mission pioneered by missionaries from India. Considering the tremendous growth in the number of personnel and mission centers with educational institutions in recent years, the Congregation has raised this Mission to the status of a Delegation. Today the Fransalian Delegation in Chad and Cameroon is a rapidly growing Mission. Missionaries from India along with a growing number of indigenous priests work side by side.

We thank God for the gift of many indigenous vocations we receive every year. We need outside support to meet the huge cost of formation. Apart from the 7 large parishes and 5 schools, the Delegation has established 2 Boys Homes in Chad. As a jubilee souvenir we have planned to establish a Boys Home at Ngaoundere in North Cameroon. We have planned several projects to bring education to the poor in the coming years.

Through the “sponsor a Child Program” we have been able to reach out to 200 poor children both boys and girls. Promotion of the girl child is a priority for all our educational projects. More than half the number of beneficiaries in all our schools are girls. Unfortunately due to some practical difficulties we have not been able to provide Girls’ Homes. We are waiting for some women religious congregation to take up this challenging task.

Providing safe and clean drinking water to the remote villages has been another priority for us. We have been able to complete more than 20 open wells in villages where clean drinking water was not available. We hope to continue this project if we find more donors.

In the past 25 years of our presence as a Missionary Congregation in Chad and Cameroon we have been able to accomplish much. It has been a very challenging as well as deeply rewarding experience for all of us. As the Delegation continues to grow, the cost of maintaining it is also a huge challenge. We are ever grateful to our friends and benefactors for their steady support. In this jubilee year we seek your support to realize some of our dream projects such as the extension of the school at Gaki in Chad and opening a new Boys’ Home at Ngaoundere. We assure our prayers for you. May the Lord bless you and all your near and dear ones.

Yours cordially
Pater Manoj Arackal, MSFS

Greetings from India

My dear Confreres and Friends of the Fransalians, 

I wish to greet each one of you with a grateful heart for your love and concern for our work in the missions. Your constant support and prayers give us the strength and courage to continue with our work in spite of the many difficulties that we face. Lighten up the lives of the poor and the disadvantaged is our Mission and Vision. It is our endeavour to provide service to the most needy people with a number of effective responses to poverty, disease, injustice and other threats to human wellbeing. Our Vision of Integral Human Development is a positive understanding of human person, covering all aspects of life: social, educational, economic, political, cultural, personal and spiritual.

It is very gratifying that for the past 17 years our Verein in Germany  has been able to mobilize and disburse a substantial sum of money each year in favour of the poorest of the poor through the many ongoing projects and programs in our missions. All this was possible because of the good will and generosity of so many people. However with the ever increasing number of appeals for help it has been difficult for us to respond to all of them mainly due to lack of sufficient funds.

We are therefore launching immediately a fundraising program in India beginning with our own Fransalian communities and educational institutions. We would like to enlist many more donors for our developmental works in Africa and in India. With the support of more donors we would like to reach out to those sections of society who live in extreme poverty. We have identified two such vulnerable groups namely those who have no shelter and those who have no means of accessing medical help in emergency cases. We are therefore committed to mobilise and create two separate funds for the homeless and for those in need of urgent medical assistance. With your help we hope to help more people in great need. We would like to reach out to many more people who are vulnerable and continue to remain on the peripheries of society. We need your help to find more donors and sponsors. We are therefore making an earnest appeal to all our friends to introduce our programs and projects to prospective donors and sponsors. 

My last visit to Europe was in 2019. Due to the Covid crisis and for some health issues of my own I was not able to plan another visit yet. God willing I hope to make it in the near future. I wish you all good health and best wishes for all your near and dear ones. God bless. 

Yours cordially,
P. Thomas Cherukat, MSFS 

Greetings from Chad-Cameroon

My dear Confreres, Friends and Benefactors, 

Greetings and good wishes to each one of you from the Fransalian Mission of Chad and Cameroon  which is now entering into the silver jubilee year. It was in November 1999 that the first three Fransalians from India had arrived in Chad to open a new mission. We gratefully remember the heroic works of the pioneers and the several batches of missionaries who had followed them. The missionary zeal and commitment of so many young priests and the generous support they received from friends and benefactors from many parts of the world have helped this mission to grow very rapidly. Today there are 20 Fransalian priests working in this Mission . There are over 70 seminarians undergoing different stages of their priestly formation. Most of these students are from the Mission itself which is a healthy sign of the steady growth of the mission to its full maturity rooted in the local culture. The Mission has 7 parishes, 5 schools, 2 formation houses and several mission stations where many development works are being undertaken.

Nearly 2.000 students are formed in our schools. Our school at Gaki, Doba in Chad achieved 100% result in the public exam. It was for the first time that the students of SFS educational complex at Gaki presented its students for the public exams. Our School at Doba Town in Chad   was placed one among the best 10 schools in the whole of Chad. The school in Ngaoundere too had  very good results in the public exams. We thank all our friends and benefactors who have made their contributions towards building up these educational institutions. Two boys’ homes run by the Fransalians in Chad are highly sought after. We have 39 children at Bero and 79 at  Gaki. We are finding it difficult to run these institutions due to lack of sufficient finance.  We look forward to your continued support for this noble cause.

In this Jubilee year, we had the joy of welcoming our new Provincial Superior from India, Fr. Thomas Kalariparampil who made his first official visitation to Chad-Cameroon from 17 June to 2 July 2023. It was an occasion of thanksgiving and a comprehensive review and evaluation of the Mission and planning for the future. We thank our Provincial for his love and concern for this far away mission in Africa.

A tragic loss of life

With much grief I would like to inform you that our Mission has suffered a tragic loss of life.  One of our young priests from Chad, Pater Abba MTOUDJIEL, MSFS  died of a road accident on 15 April 2023. He was only 33 years old. Ordained priest on 28 January 2023 his priestly life was abruptly brought to an end within a short span of 76 days. He was the second Fransalian priest from Chad. The untimely death of a promising young priest is indeed a rude shock for all of us.  He was known to all of us as a friendly, jovial, talented and hardworking person. We cannot fathom the ways of God. We humbly submit ourselves to God’s Will. May his soul rest in peace.

Thanking you all for your prayers and support. 

Yours cordially,
Fr. Manoj Arackal, MSFS