New Salesian Provincial Bursar for West Africa South Province Recalls Service in Liberia

Monrovia, 22 September, 2025 / 11:36 AM

Fr. Sony Joseph Pottenplackal, an Indian-born member of the Religious Institute of Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB), recently appointed Provincial Bursar of the West Africa South Province (AOS), has looked back on his 12 years of pastoral and missionary service in Liberia with gratitude, describing it as “the most meaningful period” of his Priestly ministry.

Speaking during his September 14 farewell Mass at Our Lady of Lebanon Parish of Monrovia Archdiocese, Fr. Pottenplackal emphasized that his mission was not about titles but about “being present.”

“It was never about roles or titles. It was about being present, accompanying the young, and responding to the needs of the time,” he said.

The Salesian missionary Priest described his time in Liberia as “the most meaningful period” of his Priestly ministry, highlighting the rare opportunity to witness the long-term impact of initiatives he helped launch.

Appointed Provincial Bursar in June, Fr. Pottenplackal is expected to relocate to Ghana and oversee Salesian projects, financial stewardship, and administrative operations across the AOS Province, which covers Liberia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Ivory Coast. 

For more than a decade, Fr. Sony served in several leadership roles, including Parish Priest, Rector of the Salesian Mission, Principal of Don Bosco Technical High School, and Project Coordinator for youth and development initiatives. 

He was one of the seven new members of the College of Consultors of the Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia appointed by Archbishop Gabriel Blamo Snosio Jubwe to assist him in governance and administration in accordance with Church law.

In Liberia, Fr. Sony’s efforts included launching the Salesian Solar Energy Project, laying the groundwork for a planned youth rehabilitation center in Virginia on the outskirts of Monrovia and initiating skills training programs in prisons.

The prisons project “brought hope and dignity to many individuals, giving them a renewed sense of purpose and the tools to live respectful, productive lives as good citizens”, according to a report shared with ACI Africa by Wilfred Lawrence D’Souza, Salesian Cooperator.