Northeast India Church Trains Priests and Religious in Digital Media for Jubilee 2033

Guwahati, March 15, 2026: As part of preparations for the Great Jubilee 2033, the Catholic Church in Northeast India organised a two-day digital media training programme for priests and women religious at the pastoral centre in Guwahati.

The training, held on March 12–13 at the NEDSSS Hall, brought together around 70 priests and women religious, along with a few lay participants from across the region. The initiative was organised under the auspices of the North East India Regional Bishops’ Council (NEIRBC) as part of the Church’s preparations for the Jubilee year marking 2,000 years of the redemption through Christ.

Inaugurating the programme, Bp Albert Hemrom of Dibrugarh and Chairman Bishop for Social Communications of NEIRBC called on participants to translate the vision of the Church’s Pastoral Plan 2033 into concrete forms of digital evangelisation.

“The question today is no longer whether we should be present online, but how we should be present,” Bishop Hemrom said. He noted that social media has evolved into a dynamic environment where people interact, share experiences and build relationships, particularly among young people for whom the digital world forms an essential part of daily life.

Highlighting the strengths of the region, Bishop Hemrom observed that Northeast India is blessed with vibrant youth, rich tribal traditions and increasing digital connectivity. He encouraged Church leaders to harness communication technologies to strengthen evangelisation, promote vocations and deepen communion and formation within communities.

Addressing the gathering, Bp George Pallipparambil of Miao and Chairman of the Proclamation Commission of NEIRBC, urged participants to use digital platforms as instruments of hope. “As we journey towards Mission 2033 as a synodal Church, digital media can help us reach every corner of the region and continue our mission of serving people with hope,” he said.

Also present at the event was Fr. Paul D’Souza, who emphasised the importance of new approaches to evangelisation in a rapidly changing world. Referring to the Church’s call for renewed missionary outreach, he said digital media offers opportunities for evangelisation marked by “new zeal, new methods and new expressions.”

The hands-on training sessions were conducted by Fr. Cyril Victor Joseph, who guided participants on the practical use of digital platforms for communication and evangelisation.

Organisers noted that the programme saw strong participation from women religious, with their numbers exceeding those of the priests. The senior-most participant was a 72-year-old Salesian priest currently serving in Guwahati, reflecting the wide interest in learning new communication tools across generations.

The training forms part of the Church’s broader pastoral initiative in the region to prepare communities for the Jubilee 2033, strengthening the mission of proclaiming the Gospel through contemporary means of communication.

Northeast India Church Trains Priests and Religious in Digital Media for Jubilee 2033

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