Guwahati: The Congregation for the Saints in Rome announced on February 23 that Pope Francis has declared Bishop Stephen Ferrando of Shillong as a venerable, the second stage in the four-step route to sainthood.

The Ordinary Session of Cardinals and Bishops members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints “gave a positive opinion, with all affirmative votes, on the reputation of holiness and the practice of heroic virtues of the Servant of God Bishop Stefano Ferrando, Salesian Bishop of Shillong, India, and founder of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians (MSMHC),” said the Postulator General of the Causes of Saints of the Salesian Family Salesian Fr Pierluigi Cameroni.

A miracle will take the prelate to beatification, the penultimate stage to sainthood.

The nuns and candidates at the MSMHC Generalate complex at Hatigaon near Guwahati gathered around the venerable’s statue for a brief thanksgiving service.

Sister Philomena Mathew, former vice-postulator is the current superior general of the congregation.

Venerable Ferrando was the second bishop of Shillong from November 1935 to June 26, 1968.

However, he was first consecrated and installed as the bishop of Krishanagar in Nadia district of Bengal province on July 9, 1934. He chose Apostolus Christi, “An apostle for Christ” as his motto.

When the Prefecture of Assam was elevated as the bishopric of Shillong shortly after, Ferrando was transferred as the Bishop of Shillong on November 26, 1935.

When he retired the diocese was raised as an archdiocese, so that his successor became an archbishop.

At that time, missionaries were valued as facilitators for social improvement and uplift. Delegations requested Bishop Ferrando to work among Asom, Khasis, Mundas, Karbis, Tiwas, Bodos, the Manipuris, Garos, Nagas and other tribes. They wanted priests, nuns, doctors, educationists and other personnel for their communities.

Bishop Ferrando founded the MSMHC in 1942.

In 1962, he succeeded setting up the St. Paul’s Minor Seminary in Shillong.

In his annual report of 1945-1946, Bishop Ferrando wrote, “This makes me very anxious, because if once a favorable occasion is lost, it is difficult to regain it.”

Salesian Missionaries such as L. Piasecki, A. Pianazzi, C. Vendrame and A. Ravalico strengthened the Christians of the large and extensive diocese.

In 1969 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared that local clergy must replace foreign missionaries, Bishop Ferrando resigned and made an Indian as his successor.

Bishop Ferrando was later appointed Titular Archbishop of Troyna and returned to Italy, where he died June 21, 1978. His mortal remains were brought to Shillong and interned in the chapel of the St. Margaret’s Convent “Peachlands” in Laitumkrah area.

Bishop Ferrando was born in Rossiglione (Genoa) on September 28, 1895. His parents were Augustine and Josephine Salvi. As a small child he attended Salesian schools, first at Fossano then Turin. He was fascinated by Don Bosco’s life and asked to become a Salesian.

In 1972 he returned to Assam and consecrated the now completed Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Shillong. Back in Italy, the aging missionary bishop retired to the Salesian house of Quarto (Genoa).