Guwahati, September 5, 2026: The Northeast India Regional Pastoral Conference 2026 began on 4 September 2026 with a strong call for the Catholic Church in the region to deepen its journey of synodality by listening to, learning from and walking alongside the indigenous peoples of Northeast India.
Held at the North East Diocesan Social Service Society (NEDSSS), Guwahati, the conference is centred on the theme, “Journeying with Indigenous People of God in the Synodal Church in Northeast India.” The gathering brings together Archbishops, bishops, clergy, religious, lay leaders, commission secretaries and other representatives from across the region, with significant participation from the Northeast Regional Catholic Council (NRCC).
The inaugural prayer set the spiritual tone for the conference through the Gospel account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Reflecting on Jesus who walked with the disciples, listened to their experience and gradually opened their hearts, the prayer presented the image of a Church that “walks together, listens deeply, discerns together and journeys into communion.” Participants were invited to become companions on the journey and to recognise indigenous peoples not merely as recipients of pastoral care but as active participants in the life and mission of the Church.
Explaining the nature of the Regional Pastoral Conference, Bishop of Kohima James Thoppil, Secretary General of the Northeast India Regional Bishops’ Council, noted that the conference is primarily an animating and formative gathering. Its purpose is not simply to formulate resolutions, but to inspire participants to carry the spirit and insights of the conference back to their dioceses, congregations and communities.
In his presidential address, Archbishop John Moolachira, President of the Regional Pastoral Conference, emphasised that journeying with indigenous peoples requires a profound shift from “doing things for the people” to genuinely “journeying with the people.” He underlined the importance of humility, courage and hope, while calling for greater participation of clergy, religious, women, young people and lay faithful in the discernment and decision-making processes of the Church.
Archbishop Moolachira also highlighted the richness of the region’s peoples, languages, cultures and traditions. He observed that indigenous communities have much to offer the Church, particularly through their communal traditions, respect for elders, relationship with creation and commitment to the wellbeing of future generations. He called on the Church to be a builder of bridges and a servant of reconciliation amid social divisions, migration, ecological concerns and ethnic tensions.
The keynote address was delivered by Archbishop Linus Neli of Imphal, who described the gathering as a significant moment for the Church in Northeast India. Drawing on the image of the living root bridges of Meghalaya, he called the Church to move beyond “fortresses” created by ethnic, linguistic and social divisions and become a living bridge of communion, peace and mutual dignity.
He stressed that synodality must be rooted in deep listening to the history, suffering, land, cultures and ancestral wisdom of indigenous communities. The Church, he said, must recognise indigenous peoples as protagonists in the life of the Church and invest seriously in local languages, literature, cultural expressions and formation.
Archbishop Neli further connected the pastoral mission of the Church with concerns surrounding land, ecology, migration, cultural identity and social conflict. He called for stronger formation of educated lay leaders capable of contributing to peace building, dialogue and reconciliation. He presented the cross as an image of this mission: deeply rooted in God through prayer and spiritual renewal while reaching horizontally towards wounded humanity.
The keynote concluded with a call to move from merely seeing divisions to developing a Christian vision capable of recognising future possibilities of reconciliation. Participants were urged to leave behind narrow walls of exclusion and become “living bridges” through patience, friendship, forgiveness and reciprocal dignity.
Soon after the keynote address NEIRBC President Archbishop John Moolachira briefly felicitated the Coadjutor Archbishop of Guwahati Albert Hemrom, who came to Guwahati on 2 September 2026 to participate in the Pastoral Conference 2026 NEI.
The inaugural session also witnessed the release of several publications, including Whispering Mission, Faith, Identity and Future, Northeast Christians’ Contribution to Nation Building and Archbishop Linus Neli’s The Living Bridge, further highlighting the importance of scholarship, dialogue and contextual reflection for the Church’s mission in the region.
The conference continues on 5, 6 with the presentations and conclude on 7 September with the sharing of the annual Reports from 23 commissions of NEIRBC.
