During the year 2022, Caritas India shall embark on her journey towards embracing the 60^th year of her existence. We are at a threshold to reflect and contemplate on the years traversed together along with our diocesan partners and other stakeholders in the pursuit of integral development and nation-building.

Our mission of translating human and Christian values into social action has been very enabling and empowering. Covid 19 pandemic even though had disrupted the fabric of normalcy across the country, the collaborative support of the church in India was encouragement in the mission of serving the marginalized and distressed. While all of us traversed and braved the odds of these uncertain times, together as a fraternity, we could quickly adapt to these unforeseen circumstances and engage with a strategy in reaching the poor through medical support and other humanitarian services.

While it would have been an opportune time to organize the National Assembly of Directors of Social Apostolate as a platform for the member organizations to converge to exchange their learning and experiences, the 2020 National Assembly could not be conducted due to covid lockdown. Hence Caritas India has felt the need to create a scope of engagement to bring all our stakeholders for interaction and reflection.  From the last quarter of 2021 until the 1^st quarter of 2022, Caritas India intends to organize Regional Assemblies as a prequel to the Foundation Day of Caritas India in October 2022. The regional assembly would be an opportunity to capture Regional developmental aspirations, unfold the transformation agenda and reflect on Partnership Engagement in the Post Covid and FCRA environment.

The onward journey began with the first Foremost commencement of the Caritas India Regional Assemblies 2021, with its first official take off from the Northern and Agra Region on October 18, 2021, at Greater Noida. The program was well attended by all the Diocesan Directors of the Region. Some of the key topics covered during the assembly were about the future functioning of Caritas, Regional Forum and dioceses, post covid and post-FCRA with special emphasis on Partnership Management. The Assembly began with the Eucharistic Celebration and was presided over by the Chairman of Agra Region, Most Rev. Raphy Manjaly, Archbishop of Agra. He expressed the 3 important components of Walking together as one fraternity. Rest, Reflect and Respond. He reiterated that it is the need of the hour for the Church to collaborate and mobilize support within and outside the fraternity for creating a positive impact on the ground. Fr. Paul in his Keynote address envisioned the purpose and focus of building an ambience of common pathways in the new covid environment.

During the Assembly, Caritas India also presented the key survey findings that were a culmination of the inputs and feedback shared by the diocesan partners on the challenges and solutions proposed for effective functioning and sustainability in the near future. The Regional Assembly was participatory and has prompted the network of the Agra and Northern region to develop new avenues of transcending together.