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Fr. William V. Kaliyadan, M.S.Fr. William V. Kaliyadan, M.S., pastor of Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster, was elected to be the Provincial Superior of the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette of the North American Province of Mary Mother of Americas. He is the first Indian-born American (and first foreign-born) to be elected Provincial.
The election was held in the Provincial Chapter of meetings in Orlando, Fla., from October 11-15, 2021. Fr. Roland Nadeau, M.S., and Fr. Ronald Foshage, M.S., were elected as his Vicar and Second Councilor, respectively.
From Kerala in Southwest India
Fr. Kaliyadan was born in a large Catholic family in Puliparambu (Trichur District), Kerala, India, on May 29, 1965. After his high school studies, he pursued his dream to become a priest by joining the Diocesan Seminary in Irinjalakuda, Kerala, and completed philosophy in the Major Seminary in Alwaye, Kerala.
Studying philosophy as a young seminarian, he learned of the La Salette Missionaries. He was drawn to the charism of reconciliation and discerned joining the Missionaries of La Salette in the Philippines. He completed his Theological studies in the Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay, Philippines. He was ordained to the priesthood on Jan. 22, 1994, at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Silang, Cavite, Philippines.
New Provincial Administration: (from left) Fr. Roland Nadeau, M.S., Vicar; Fr. William V. Kaliyadan, M.S., Provincial; Fr. Ronald Foshage, M.S., Second CouncilorFr. Kaliyadan began his ministry as a parochial vicar and was appointed to St. Matthew Parish in San Mateo, Isabela, Philippines. It was a large parish with 30,000 families with a school population of 1,300. While being a pastor and director of the La Salette School, Fr. Kaliyadan also completed a master’s in guidance and counseling at the University of La Salette in Santiago, Philippines.
In 1998, Fr. Kaliyadan arrived in the U.S. and began his ministry at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro. After a year, he became associate pastor at Our Lady of the Cape in Brewster. While assigned to the parish, Fr. Kaliyadan began using his days off to pursue a doctorate in Marriage and Family Counseling at the Andover Newton Theological School, Boston, and earned the doctorate from the oldest theological school in the country.
Fr. Kaliyadan was appointed Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Lebanon, N.H. in 2006. He revitalized and grew the parish community with a “Catholics Can Come Home” program, bereavement program, and youth ministry. Through his creativity, he made the parish more open and diverse.
In 2015, Fr. Kaliyadan was assigned to minister at Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster as its pastor. He is a compassionate pastor, leader, and administrator who has reached the poor and needy in the parish and beyond. The parish has an outreach program to Haiti and supports daily lunch and education program for more than 3,000 students in five schools.
Make this message known to all my people
Fr. Kaliyadan was elected to serve the Missionaries of La Salette in the North American Province in 2013 as Councilor and in 2018 as Vicar Provincial. His ministry to the Congregation of the Missionaries of La Salette has taken him to Council of the Congregation meetings and General Chapters numerous times around the world.
As Provincial Superior, Fr. Kaliyadan will oversee the Region of the Missionaries of La Salette in Argentina and Bolivia for the next three years. The wide-ranging experiences of Fr. Kaliyadan as pastor, professional counselor, ministries in three different countries, his exposure to the worldwide mission of La Salette, all these along with his education, wisdom, and intelligence will be an asset to the administration of the Province of Mary, Mother of Americas.
2021 La Salette Chapter held in Orlando, Florida
(Reprinted with permission of The Anchor)