Twenty-six delegates from various Salesian Provinces across India gathered in Meghalaya from February 25–27 for the three-day assembly. Fr Fidel attended the meeting along with Fr Sathish Paul and Fr Ricardo Campoli from Rome. The General Body Meeting commenced with the Holy Mass officiated by Fr Fidel.

Welcoming the delegates, Fr John Zosiama, Provincial of the Shillong Province, highlighted the host province’s rich cultural diversity, deep-rooted faith traditions, and vibrant youth population.

In his homily, Fr Fidel reflected on the Gospel of the day, drawing attention to the “sign of Jonah.” “The sign of Jonah today, in our Salesian context, is not virality. It is integrity. It is coherence between what we proclaim and how we live,” he said. Emphasising the pastoral dimension of communication, he added, “The true sign of our mission is not how many follow us. It is whether the young feel accompanied.”

Fr Ernest, BOSCOM South Asia Delegate, elaborated on the theme of the meeting, Media as Mission: Building Safe and Hope-filled Digital Spaces for the Young in the Spirit of Don Bosco. He urged participants to “move beyond being ‘users’ of technology to being ‘architects’ of a digital culture that mirrors the preventive system: Reason, Religion, and Loving-kindness.”

During the official inauguration, Fr Kampen, Director of NESCOM, cautioned that algorithms often shape young minds before faith can. Addressing the gathering, Fr Fidel stressed the importance of balance in innovation. “Innovation is necessary to be relevant, but not at the cost of losing the identity, mission and core values of the Salesian system,” he noted.

On the first evening, participants engaged in an interactive session with Fr Fidel and Fr. Ashley Miranda, BOSCOM Provincial in charge and Provincial of the Bombay Province, discussing challenges and opportunities in the digital apostolate.

BOSCOM expressed gratitude to the Salesian Province of Shillong for hosting the assembly, particularly acknowledging Fr Michael Mackri, chief coordinator, and the Salesian community at Siloam for their hospitality and meticulous organisation.