By Tej Prasarini Office for BIS Mumbai

A joint meeting for Leaders of Communities, Principals, Parish Priests of the INB Province was held from June 24 to June 26 at Don Bosco Provincial House at Matunga, Mumbai. Each day began with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and ended in solemn prayer. The resource person for the three-day meeting was Fr Fidel Orendain SDB, General Councillor for Social Communication.

The homily on the first day, the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, highlighted God's hidden work in the lives of young people. Drawing inspiration from the Gospel question, “What then will this child be?”, Fr Orendain encouraged Salesians to remain focused on the future of the children and youth entrusted to their care.

The session on the first day focused on strengthening leadership, governance, communication, and ministry in the spirit of Don Bosco. Participants were challenged to view governance not merely as administration but as a form of pastoral ministry dedicated to serving people and advancing the Salesian mission. The sessions also addressed contemporary concerns such as crisis communication, sustainability, safeguarding, and collaboration with lay mission partners.

The fourth edition of a Catechism Book, written by Fr Kenneth Pereira SDB was released at the hands of Fr Orendain during this session.

The next day opened with a 7 a.m. Eucharist presided over by Vice Provincial Fr Robert Pen, who used the day's Gospel reading to remind participants that fidelity to God's will cannot be substituted by titles or office, and that ministry must be built on the "rock of Christ" rather than the shifting sand of popularity.

The substantive sessions, led by Fr Orendain, began at 9 a.m. with a focus on personal leadership development through Attitude, Knowledge, and Skills (AKS). Participants were challenged to set concrete, measurable goals and to reflect on what kind of leader they hope to become within a year.

The afternoon session tackled conflict head-on, distinguishing organizational, task, relationship, and process conflict, each with its own warning signs and resolution path. A handout on the Salesian Communication Protocol reinforced that most institutional problems trace back to communication failures, and closed with a description of the ideal Salesian communicator as one who unites through presence and strengthens community through truth.

The final day's Eucharist, presided over by Fr Orendain, drew on the healing of the leper in Matthew's Gospel to illustrate that "encounter must come before the solution" — leadership, he said, should operate "beside, not above," walking with people rather than directing from a distance.

Sessions resumed with reflections on the previous day's material, including the insight that conflict avoidance only deepens problems, and that correction is difficult precisely because it risks relationships, ego, and personality friction.

The afternoon session introduced the Japanese concept of Kaizen — continuous, low-cost, inclusive improvement — before participants broke into groups to draft a province-wide manifesto.

The seminar closed under the slogan "From goodwill to competence, from reaction to prevention," with formal thanks extended to Fr Fidel Orendain and Fr Satish Paul, and to the Rector and community of Don Bosco Provincial House for their hospitality. The gathering ended at 4:30 p.m. with prayer.