Ranchi, 4 September 2026

Yesterday at around 10:00 PM the news was conveyed to the province men that Reverend Father Arturo Sosa, Superior General of the Society of Jesus has appointed Fr Francis Minj, SJ as the new Provincial of Ranchi Province. With the announcement of this appointment, much awaited spiritual process of finding a new Provincial is over. Fr Minj will take over the baton from Fr Ajit Kumar Xess, SJ sometime later this month. In the person of Francis Minj, Ranchi Province is blessed to have a new leader, humble servant and faithful steward, to lead the Province.

Fr Minj joined the Society of Jesus on June 20, 1984 by entering the Jesuit Novitiate at St Stanislaus College, Sitagarha, Hazaribag. After completing two years of Novitiate, he took his first profession on June 21, 1986 and did his one-year Juniorate in XTTI, Patna. He completed his Bachelors of Philosophy in 1993 from Satya Nilayam, Chennai. As part of his active ministry exposure (regency), he was sent to Jeevan Deepa, Khunti (Yr I) and Apostolic School Gumla (Yr II). He started his Theological studies in 1995 in Jesuit Formation Centre for theology, Tarunoday, Kanke and completed it in 1998 from Vidya Jyoti, Delhi. Thereafter, he did a year of his diaconate ministry in Catholic Church Tongo.

He was ordained a priest on April 8, 1999 in St Anthony's Church Rengarih. Looking at his comprehension and teaching aptitude, he was sent to Jnana Deepa, Pune for his M. Th., which he successfully completed in 2001 and thereafter joined JFCT, Tarunoday Kanke, as teaching faculty of Systematic Theology. He did his tertianship in 2003 at St Stanislaus College, Sitagarha.

In 2004, he was sent to Berkeley, USA for his doctoral studies. He obtained a Ph.D. in Theology in 2009 and came back to JFCT, Kanke to continue teaching. He took his final profession in the Society of Jesus on February 2, 2010. He was made dean of academics in 2010 and later also the superior of the Community. Thereafter, he has given long years of his services till date in the theological formation of the Jesuits and shouldered many important assignments and responsibilities in different capacities.

As WhatsApp messages, best wishes, compliments continues to flood his message box and mobile phone keeps ringing to reach out to him, Ranchi Jesuits welcome Fr Francis Minj, SJ whole heatedly as the New Provincial and assure of their prayers and support. Wishing you all the best!