Rev. Fr. Joseph H Pereira is the Founder of the Kripa Foundation, which is devoted to the care, support and rehabilitation of those affected by Chemical Dependency and HIV & AIDS.
Since its inception in 1981 in Bombay, the Kripa Foundation has grown exponentially and forms a vital links to providing social stability in eleven Indian states through various multifunction facilities and also has association in other international locations in Europe, Canada and the USA.
Known to all as Fr Joe, and many others as “the Singing Priest”, he prefers not to highlight his academic qualifications of Masters in Psychology & Philosophy from University of Bombay, Licentiate in Divinity (Theology) from Bombay & Poona, Certifications in Counselling Theory & Practice (Carkhuff Model) & expertise from the Hazelden Institute of Minnesota, USA.
Most cherished of all Academic achievements, is his decades of involvement with Yoga, first as a patient, pupil and practitioner, then in later years as a Certified Trainer and in recent decades as a friend, associate and an International Mentor of the Guruji B K S Iyengar School of Yoga, Pune. This involvement is so extensive that the holistic component of Kripa care has been strengthened by the gift of self-knowledge through sets of Yoga practices developed by Guruji B.K.S. Iyengar. Fr Joe carries this message with him and delivers it to all who ask for it, during his national and international travels.
Between 1987 till 2015, various international workshops have been conducted by Fr Joe at Portland, Oregon and Hot Springs, California in USA and at Calgary and Toronto, Canada on Yoga. “Innovative Methods of Healing the Addict” and “Effectiveness of Yoga in Substance Abusers” within the Kripa Model with the help of “Kripafoundation Iyengar Yoga™”, were research activities presented at the Dharam Hinduja Institute of Indic Research at the Faculty of Divinity in University of Cambridge, UK.
Besides his seminars and workshops in Canada and the USA, Fr Joe conducts Annual Seminars at The Black Forest Institute, Germany, Brazil, Zurich, Switzerland and at the Coolmine Therapeutic Community, Ireland.
Such a hectic schedule can only be supported by his extreme consciousness in personal practices and empathy and love for the socially marginalized. He constantly says that such commitment can only be through the blessings of great ones like Blessed Mother Teresa and Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar and his spiritual guide Rev Anthony D’Mello.
These perceptions and applications have resulted in various awards
Despite all this, Fr Joe is ever ready to listen to all who approach him. This includes the huge numbers of the general community, patients, clients of the Foundation in India and abroad and not least of all, his large organizational staff numbers, not less than 85% of whom are “wounded healers” in their own paths of recovery and spiritual growth.