Fr John Barman Appointed Secretary to CCBI Youth Commission

New Delhi 8 May 2026 (CCBI): The CCBI has appointed Fr John Barman, M.S.F.S., as Executive Secretary to the Youth Commission, who is currently the Associate Secretary. The appointment was made during the Executive Committee meeting held on 5–6 May 2026 in Bangalore.

A priest of the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales (MSFS), Guwahati Province, Fr Barman brings wide experience in youth ministry and pastoral leadership. He was born on 12 August 1981 in Machkhowa, Dhemaji district, Assam, and was ordained a priest on 13 January 2008. Over the past 17 years, he has served in various pastoral roles with a strong focus on youth formation and faith animation.

Fr Barman has been closely involved in youth ministry as Director of the Fransalian Youth Movement (FYM) in Northeast India and later in the Guwahati Province. He also served as Director of the Fransalian Music Academy and as Coordinator of Vocations for his province.

Since 2022, he has been serving as Provincial Councillor of the MSFS Guwahati Province. He was the Regional Secretary of the Northeastern Regional Youth Commission and Director of ICYM Northeast, and Chaplain of the YCS/YSM movement in the region. From July 2026 he is serving the CCBI as the Associate Executive Secretary to the Commission for Youth.

Dr. Stephen Alathara