Members of the Social Communication Commission of the Province during the meeting held at the Board Room, Provincial House, Panbazar.
The Social Communication Commission of the Province convened its fifth meeting on September 1, 2025, at the Provincial House, outlining a dynamic and strategic plan to harness modern media for evangelization, preserve cultural heritage, and promote devotion to the Servant of God Bishop Orestes Marengo. Chaired by Delegate Rev Fr. Joy Kachappilly SDB, the meeting brought together commission members to evaluate past initiatives and launch several new projects aligned with the global Salesian communication strategy.
The meeting began with a review of the province’s significant publishing output over the past year. Financial statements revealed the successful publication of multiple works, including the Assamese prayer book Horogor Poth, the youth prayer book Seek the Lord, and biographies of St. Artemide Zatti in Garo and Bodo. The recent release of The Catechetical Ministry in Northeast India, a thesis published on August 14, was highly commended for its academic contribution.
Future projects are equally ambitious. Plans are underway for the publication of the New Testament in Assamese, a series on the lives of saints, and a revised catechism book for schools by 2026. The commission also plans to produce commemorative booklets for the 150th anniversary of Salesian missionary expeditions in the region.
A key agenda item was the implementation of directives from the recent BOSCOM Executive meeting, led by Fr. Fidel Orendain, the General Councillor for Social Communications. The province has adopted a detailed six-year plan with the highest priority given to developing a comprehensive Provincial Communication Plan. This strategy is built on four pillars: Evangelisation in the Digital Age, Animation and Synergy, Strategic Institutional Communication, and Creative Content Production.
The plan emphasizes integrating social communication into all formation programs, building capable media teams, and ensuring all content reflects safeguarding and child protection policies. It also calls for a balance between traditional and digital outreach and the establishment of clear, transparent communication protocols.
Recognizing the need to preserve cultural assets, the commission discussed the systematic digital archiving of old musical albums in regional languages like Assamese and Garo, currently stored on obsolete formats like vinyl and cassettes.
In a significant step towards digital mission, plans were advanced to establish a Centre for Digital Evangelisation in the Garo Hills. Fr. Jogesh Sangma has allocated space for the center in a new building. The commission plans to collaborate with existing media efforts, like Fr. Michael Macri’s Shillong-based YouTube channel, and will convene a meeting of interested Salesians to propel the project forward.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to forming “Digital Disciples” among young Salesians. Following a successful animation session for Practical Training Brothers, similar hands-on training workshops on artificial intelligence (AI) and the responsible use of mobile technology are planned for clerics and young priests across the province.
The meeting concluded with a prayer led by Fr. Charles Lakra, cementing the commission’s resolve to build a communication ministry characterized by “communion, witness, and mission.”
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