Adhering to the Principles of Catholic Social Teachings, Caritas India has over the years strived to make positive changes in society by mainstreaming animation and adopting the people led approach as a major strategy and improving the quality of life of the poor and the weaker sections of the society with a focus on specific thrust areas and the processes of continued reflection, theorizing and renewed action for praxis.

As Caritas India is embarking on her journey towards embracing the 60th year of her existence, it becomes imperative 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. To this end Regional Assembly of Diocesan Directors of  Social Apostolate in  Tamil Nadu along with Regional Forum leadership and Caritas India Team confluenced at Coimbatore on 24^th March 2022. The Vicar General of Coimbatore Diocese Very.Rev.Fr.John Joseph  Stanis welcomed the Congregation to the venue on behalf of Regional Forum Chairman and Bishop of Coimbatore Most.Rev.Dr.Thomas Aquinas.

The Executive Director of Caritas India Fr (Dr) Paul Moonjely in his keynote address spoke on envisioning the purpose and focus of building an ambience to draw common pathways in the post covid and new FCRA environment. He spoke on the challenges – 3Cs – COVID, Climate and Conflict. He insisted on the need for solidarity to address the conflicts arising out of FCRA issues, caste issues and climate change.

He oriented the gathering on the 3S – Solidarity, Social friendship (Fratelli tutti) and Social Justice. He solicited the support of partners as Caritas India is moving towards its 60^th year in October 2022 and the meaningful celebration to have an integrated reflection at the national level. He encouraged the gathering to collectively reflect on community participation, congregational fraternity for walking together to address the social issues and provide solutions.

In his Presidential Address – Bishop Yvon Ambroise,  Former Chairman of the Regional Forum and the architect of Animation in India  Shared his perspective on building and strengthening partnerships towards solidarity and serving the mission of the church. ‘ Our vision is transformation; Church is here to transform the lives of people. Christ, taught us the concept of dying for new life and that resurrection is the logic of life to find newness’ said the veteran with 6 decades of experience in social development. He then released the Regional Strategic Plan Document the first copy of which was received by Fr. Paul Moonjely. While giving his overview on the document Fr. Jolly said that it is in alignment with International and National Strategy documents. TASOSS is the first regional forum to come up with such meaningful work and he wished that the document should inspire Diocesan Social Service Societies to come up with Diocesan Strategic Plan.

Ms. Stella Rani, Governing body member of Caritas India dealt with the evolution of development perspectives, Caritas India’s achievements, formation of People’s Organization, Animation as thrust and regionalization process over the years and insisted on the need for the bottom to top-level approach so as to reach out to the marginalized people.

Fr (Dr)Jolly Puthenpura, Assistant Executive Director of Caritas India set the context by leading the session on Perspectives and new Paradigms for Promoting the Social Service Ministry in the Dioceses and Regions. He suggested a  framework and strategies for the enhancement of effective ministry.

The Social Apostolate in the Church takes on different forms and the DSSS is to be seen as the Official Animating and Coordinating Body in the Diocese, functioning under the guidance of the Diocesan Bishop. Now it has become a more organized scientific profession backed by sound social change theories, with clearly set strategies, approaches, and methodologies and this calls for new paradigms in the Church’s Social Apostolate, approaches and practices. He explained in detail 12 New Paradigms as blueprints for creating impact making DSSSs.

Fr. Albert Thambidurai, TASOSS Director, along with the team of Diocesan Directors elaborated on the success of cluster programmes, health resilience, partnership and alliances and volunteering and resource mobilisation. He appreciated the accompaniment of Caritas India for the handholding support. Fr. Bosco, Director of the Migration services- Salesian Congregation representing the CRI insisted on the collaborative efforts that are fundamental to addressing the societal problems.

Fr.Paul Shared a brief background on the purpose of the regional assembly and the Post Covid Survey continued with Unique Learnings, proposed sectors of engagement and Relevance from the Tamil Nadu Region.  In order to Strengthen Partnership Management, he proposed to work in consortia affiliated to sectors for sustaining and building image portfolios for common objectives, policy pursuit with strategic engagements at the macro and meso level of partnerships and engagement of diverse knowledge and technical partners for stronger program derivatives. ‘Dissemination of lessons learnt, new insights, new learnings and growing trends and data demonstrating how contributions were apportioned for programming and the mobilization of resources as an aftereffect are the need of the hour’ highlighted the Executive Director.

The Director of Coimbatore Multipurpose Social Service, Fr.V.Arun was the person behind the successful conduct of this Regional Assembly through his meticulous planning supported by  Fr. Albert, TASOSS Director and Dr.John Arokiaraj, who is leading the Caritas India operations in Tamil Nadu. The Directors of Tamil Nadu gave their full support by sharing their perspectives for an effective mission of Integral Human Development.