Parish leaders of Christ the King Parish, Sojong, participated in an animation programme on the proposed Migrant Workers’ Survey to be conducted across all the parishes of the Salesian Province of Guwahati. The programme was led by Fr. Albert Thyrniang, Coordinator of the Province Migrant Desk, at the invitation of Fr. Abraham Kanattu, SDB, Rector and Parish Priest of Christ the King Parish.

The programme began at 7:00 p.m. in the parish premises with the participation of ten key parish leaders. Welcoming the resource person and the participants, Fr. Abraham Kanattu explained the purpose of the gathering and stressed the importance of understanding the realities faced by migrant workers from the parish.

Through a series of video clips and PowerPoint presentations, Fr. Albert highlighted the growing phenomenon of internal migration in India, particularly among workers in the unorganised sector. He explained the socio-economic factors that compel thousands of people to leave their homes in search of employment, the challenges they encounter in distant cities, and the major migration corridors connecting the Northeast with metropolitan centres such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Surat, and other industrial hubs.

Drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, Fr. Albert observed that although migrant workers make significant contributions to the nation’s economy, there is still a lack of reliable data on their numbers and living conditions. The Church, too, lacks comprehensive information on its faithful who migrate for work, making it difficult to offer sustained pastoral care and social support.

To address this gap, he underscored the need for a systematic survey to identify migrant workers, document their details, and maintain regular contact with them. Such an initiative, he explained, would enable the Church to accompany migrant workers both spiritually and socially. Accordingly, the Salesian Province of Guwahati has resolved to conduct migrant workers’ surveys in all its parishes.

Fr. Albert also shared the successful experience of Satgaon Parish, where a comprehensive migrant workers’ survey was conducted in 2023. The findings, officially released on 24 September 2023, have become an invaluable pastoral resource. The survey enabled the parish to identify migrant workers from almost every village, record their places of work, occupations, and other essential information, thereby creating a reliable database for pastoral outreach.

Based on the survey findings, the parish established WhatsApp groups connecting migrant workers with their families, facilitating regular communication and timely assistance whenever needed. Migrant workers from Satgaon Parish in Mumbai and Bengaluru are now well organised, with weekly Masses celebrated in the Salesian communities at Matunga and Bosco Mane, respectively. The survey also paved the way for the successful annual celebration of Migrant Workers’ Day in the parish since 2023.

Fr. Albert noted that the survey was conducted in close collaboration with village catechists, whose active involvement ensured its success. He added that the initiative received wide recognition through coverage by ANS, Matters India, Salesian Education, and several other Catholic media platforms.

The parish leaders of Sojong expressed keen interest in implementing a similar survey in their parish. The interactive session included discussions on the survey’s scope, methodology, and practical implementation, with participants exploring ways to adapt the initiative to the local context.

The programme concluded with the singing of a hymn to Don Bosco, followed by a fellowship high tea hosted by Fr. Abraham Kanattu.