Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (NP)
Udupi, Apr 25: In a significant leadership appointment announced on April 24, Fr John Alwyn Dias, OFM Cap, has been named the new provincial minister of St Fidelis Province, North India. The appointment was made by the general minister of the Capuchin Order in Rome, and he is set to assume office on May 1.
Fr John Alwyn will take on the pastoral responsibility of a vast mission territory that includes Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, marking a new phase of leadership for the Province.
A native of St Ignatius Loyola Church, Paladka, Fr John Alwyn brings considerable administrative and pastoral experience to the role. He previously served as the provincial superior of the Holy Trinity Province of Karnataka-Goa from 2019 to 2025. His tenure reflected a strong commitment to the Capuchin charism and prepared him for broader responsibilities within the Order.
Fr John Alwyn Dias is a distinguished member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, born on March 28, 1971, in Paladka, Moodbidri, Mangalore district. He was ordained a priest on December 22, 1998, after completing his philosophical and theological studies in Bangalore and Mysore.
He holds advanced degrees in theology, including a doctorate (PhD) from the Catholic University of Paris and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, with specialization in theological studies. His academic contribution includes research, international paper presentations, and a published scholarly work on the theology of John Henry Newman.
Fr John Alwyn Dias has rendered extensive service in pastoral, educational and administrative roles both in India and abroad. He has worked in mission areas like Nagaland and served as director and superior of Dayalbagh Ashram Institutions, Ujire. Internationally, he contributed to the Capuchin formation ministry in France.
He held key leadership positions in the Capuchin Holy Trinity Province of Karnataka, serving multiple terms as Vicar Provincial (2013–2019) and Provincial Minister (2019–2025). He also served as executive member of the Conference of Religious in India at both regional and national levels.
Currently, he is a member of Shanthi Sadhana Fraternity, Franciscan Institute of Spirituality, Bengaluru, actively engaged in spiritual renewal and formation programmes.