Guwahati: The North East Commission for Ecology and Climate Change convened a two-day regional planning meeting on Integral Ecology and Climate Response of the North East Church from 3–4 February 2026. The event, held at Inspiration, Kharguli, Guwahati in Assam brought together twenty-four delegates from various dioceses and religious congregations of North East India to reflect on Pope Francis’ call for ecological conversion and to plan coordinated climate action at both diocesan and regional levels.
The program began on the afternoon of 3 February with an Opening Session, where Br Sunil Britto CFC, Secretary of the North East Commission for Ecology and Climate Change, reminded the gathering of the words from Laudato Si’: “Soil, water, mountains—everything is, as it were, a caress of God.” Participants were then invited to an evening screening of The Letter, the acclaimed documentary inspired by Laudato Si’, followed by a reflective discussion on how the film’s message resonates with the local ecological challenges faced in the region.
The second day, 4 February, opened with the celebration of the Holy Mass. The day’s sessions featured insightful online presentations: Fr Bolmax Pereira spoke on COPs and Their Implications for Us, linking global climate summits to Catholic ecological engagement. Ms Shawna Nemesia Rebello guided participants through Engaging with the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, highlighting practical pathways for diocesan and institutional participation. In the subsequent session, Fr Luke Rodrigues, SJ, offered reflections on Celebrating the Season of Creation, emphasizing prayer, awareness, and community action as integral parts of the Church’s ecological mission.
After lunch, participants engaged in Planning Sessions focused on strengthening the newly formed commission at the regional level. They discussed the possibility of each diocese in the region establishing a full-fledged Commission for Ecology and of intensifying awareness programs for priests, religious, and lay faithful. Practical recommendations also emerged to advance the ecological mission of the Church across the North East. In his closing address, Fr Amalraj, Deputy Secretary of the North East Regional Bishops’ Council, stressed the urgency of the moment, saying, “We need to wake up, for there is so much to be done concerning the care of our common home.”
This assembly marked a significant step in strengthening the ecological mission of the Church in North East India, aligning regional initiatives with the global vision of Laudato Si’ and the universal call to care for our common home.