Inauguration and Vision
The workshop began with a solemn Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Fr. Tomy Thomas Perumprayil SVD, Provincial Superior of INM Province. In his keynote address, Fr. Marcelo Cattaneo SVD, General Mission Secretary, called the participants to embrace their missionary identity in a wounded world and to become bearers of Christ’s light and hope.

Enriching Sessions
Six insightful sessions deepened the understanding of lay partnership:

• Fr. Dixson Lawrence D’Souza SVD highlighted the triple identity of lay partners — custodian, door, and anchor — and the triple ministry of listening, accompaniment, and joyful defiance.
• Fr. Naveen Rebello SVD presented the biblical vision of lay partnership, describing lay partners as salt (ad intra) and light (ad extra).
• Fr. M. Gregory Arockiam SVD reflected on Arnoldus spirituality and the charism of the Society of the Divine Word.
• Fr. Stanislaus Thanuzraj Lazar SVD urged participants to translate prayer into life and become icons of change in today’s context.
• Fr. Anthony Menezes SVD inspired the gathering with his engaging session, “Holding Hands – Shall We Dance?”

Each session helped participants rediscover their rootedness and mission as co-workers in God’s vineyard.

Participation and Fellowship
The workshop was blessed with the presence of 51 participants, including 33 lay partner representatives from the five provinces and region of the India Subzone, along with spiritual directors, mission secretaries, and two SSpS sisters.

An evening of fellowship with songs, games, and cultural sharing strengthened bonds of unity and joy. Lay partner groups also presented reports of their activities, strengths, and challenges. A particularly moving moment was the personal testimonies of five lay partners, who shared how their association with the SVD gave deeper meaning and purpose to their lives.

Commissioning as Missionaries of Hope
A highlight of the workshop was the commissioning ceremony. During the Eucharistic Celebration, participants were sent forth as “Missionaries of Hope” through a special commissioning prayer and the bestowing of the traditional shawl.

Mission Exposure and Pilgrimage
The final day included a mission exposure visit to the Urban Community Development Centre (UCDC), Bandra, where participants encountered the lived realities of migrants in Mumbai. This was followed by a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount (Mount Mary), Bandra, seeking the intercession of the Blessed Mother as they continue their missionary journey.

Gratitude and Hope
The workshop concluded with heartfelt gratitude to the Triune God and to all who contributed to its success — organizers, resource persons, liturgy team, and participants. Special appreciation was expressed to Fr. Luvis Ronald Pereira SVD for his meticulous organization.

Inspired by the words of St. Arnold Janssen — “Missionaries are ambassadors of Divine Love” — the SVD Lay Partners of the India Subzone now move forward renewed in faith, unity, and hope.