On August 30, 2024, during the elective chapter of the Province of India, held in Satyagiri, at the Dominican Retreat Center, fr Peter Mendonsa, OP, then superior of the community of Saint Dominic in Delhi, was elected Prior Provincial. On the same day, he was confirmed by the Master of the Order, fr Gerard Francisco Timoner III, OP, with the signature of his vicar, fr Pablo Carlos Sicouly, OP, and accepted the office on the same day. Bro. Peter succeeds fr Prasad George, OP, who has served as provincial since 2020.
Born in 1967 in Shankerapura, Udupi district, Karnataka state, India, Brother Peter joined the postulancy of Saint Dominic, Mangalore, in 1983. He joined the novitiate of the Order of Preachers in Pachmarhi, Madya Pradesh, made his simple profession in 1987 and his solemn profession in Nagpur in 1993. Fr. Peter completed his first cycle of philosophical and theological studies in Nagpur, where he was ordained deacon. He was ordained priest on May 31, 1995. He holds a doctorate from the Faculty of Theology at Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich (2001-2006).
Brother Peter has had many assignments. In particular, he was parish priest of Saint Dominic Parish in Mangalore until 2000, first superior of the Immaculate Conception House in Bellore, Mangalore (2007-2010), novice master (2012-2015), rector of Saint Charles Seminary (2015-2021) and superior of Saint Dominic Delhi, also being parish priest of Saint Dominic Church, Delhi (2022-2024). Fr. Peter is a well-known preacher. He accompanies spiritual retreats and teaches pastoral theology, homiletics and interreligious dialogue at the seminary.
By Yves Bériault
By Laurent Fortin