At the end of January, VIVAT India took an important step toward strengthening its advocacy and networking efforts by hosting a two-day national consultation that brought together around 55 participants from across the country. Representatives of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) and the Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) from all provinces and regions in India were joined by members of other congregations, including OMI and JMJ, for a shared reflection and planning process.
The consultation served as a joint workshop to review current JPIC (Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation) initiatives, identify common national priorities, and design a three-year collaborative action and advocacy plan. A central goal was to move beyond isolated efforts and build a stronger, more coordinated national network for justice, peace, and integrity of creation across congregations and ministries.
Four Priority Areas for the Next Three Years
Through prayerful discernment and dialogue, participants identified four major focus areas for VIVAT India.
1. Migration and Protection of Migrant Workers
Internal migration was recognized as one of India’s most urgent social concerns, particularly the movement of people from northern and north-eastern states to the southern and western regions. Many migrants come from Indigenous and other vulnerable communities and often face precarious working conditions, a lack of legal and social protection, and social isolation.
VIVAT India plans to strengthen networks among provincial JPIC coordinators and other congregations working with migrants, while also collaborating with dioceses, religious congregations, and government agencies to improve pastoral care, legal support, and human rights protection. In several regions, support systems already exist; the goal now is to connect and expand these efforts for more consistent accompaniment and advocacy.
2. Climate Change and Environmental Justice
Environmental justice remains a strong area of engagement for VIVAT-related organizations in India. The consultation reaffirmed climate change as a core priority, with emphasis on raising awareness, transforming lifestyles, promoting renewable energy, and encouraging sustainable use of resources.
One practical commitment is the promotion of “green campuses” across institutions and houses run by SVDs, SSpS, and collaborating congregations. This includes renewable energy initiatives, waste reduction, reforestation, and environmental education as part of an ecological conversion rooted in care for our common home.
3. Children, Women, and Human Trafficking
Participants highlighted the grave vulnerability of women and children, especially among migrant and marginalized communities. Human trafficking for labor and sexual exploitation, bonded labor, and the denial of basic rights remain serious concerns.
VIVAT India seeks to strengthen collaboration with statutory bodies at the national and state levels for prevention, rescue, and rehabilitation. Greater grassroots awareness will also be promoted to help communities identify cases earlier and respond more effectively. Congregations that have already helped victims regain freedom and reconnect with their families will share these experiences to strengthen collective action.
4. Social Harmony and Peacebuilding
In light of India’s complex socio-political realities, the consultation also emphasized the urgent need to promote social harmony. Participants pointed to growing polarization based on religion, culture, ethnicity, and economic inequality.
VIVAT India will support initiatives that foster dialogue, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence while addressing misinformation, prejudice, and hate speech. Participants stressed that without social harmony, lasting progress in any other JPIC priority is difficult to sustain.
Mainstreaming JPIC Across Ministries and Formation
A significant feature of the consultation was the deliberate inclusion of members from formation houses, health ministries, and other pastoral and social ministries. The intention was clear: JPIC must not remain the responsibility of only a few specialists, but become a shared mission across all areas of religious life and ministry.
By involving formators, health workers, and pastoral leaders, VIVAT India hopes to integrate justice and peace more deeply into initial and ongoing formation and into the daily life of congregations.
From Service to Advocacy
Throughout the consultation, participants repeatedly emphasized the need to move beyond service alone toward stronger advocacy. Schools, parishes, health centers, and social projects already provide valuable grassroots experience and data. The next step is to use this lived reality to engage more effectively with policy frameworks, public debates, and decision-making spaces.
The aim is not only to serve marginalized communities but also to ensure that their voices are heard in decision-making.
Looking Ahead
With this consultation, VIVAT India now moves forward with a clear three-year roadmap: focused action on migration, climate justice, women and children, and social harmony; stronger inter-congregational collaboration; deeper integration of JPIC across ministries and formation; and renewed advocacy rooted in grassroots realities.
This gathering has laid a strong foundation for a more unified and prophetic engagement with the urgent justice challenges facing India today—an important witness of hope and solidarity in the service of people and planet.
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