Vijayawada, 23 August 2026: The MAGIS Digital Home (MDH) Animators’ Training Programme was held from 21 to 23 August 2026 at the YES-J Youth Centre, Vijayawada, bringing together youth animators and JYMSA Province Coordinators from the Jesuit Conference of South Asia. The three-day programme focused on strengthening digital youth ministry and equipping animators to accompany young people creatively through digital platforms.

MAGIS Digital Home is a digital platform envisioned as a common space for the youth, providing opportunities for young people to share their views, connect with one another, receive spiritual guidance and find information on employment opportunities and career guidance. The platform seeks to accompany young people in their personal, spiritual and social journeys. Ignatian spirituality receives particular emphasis, encouraging young people to discover themselves and recognize God’s presence and action in their lives.

The training began with an effort to unite the animators as a team and deepen their understanding of Magis Digital Home and the concept of MAGIS, which has been adopted as the common identity for youth activities in the South Asia Conference. The first day also included group discussions on how the animators could creatively reach out to young people through digital channels and establish meaningful communication with them.
The second day focused on media and digital communication training. The participants were introduced to creative ways of communicating with young people in the digital environment and explored how different media formats could be used to make MDH more engaging and accessible to youth.

The final day was dedicated to further group discussions, developing action plans and identifying practical ways to implement the initiatives proposed during the training. The participants reflected on how they could work together to strengthen MDH as a platform for youth accompaniment, connection and formation.

At the conclusion of the programme, Fr. Vernard Antony, SJ, JCSA Youth Coordinator, met with the MDH Core Team to listen to their experiences, suggestions and views on further improving the platform. He encouraged the team to continue exploring new and creative ways of reaching and accompanying young people through MDH and to make the platform increasingly responsive to their needs.

A significant development during the programme was the appointment of Fr. Kennedy, SJ, from Chennai Province, as the Director of MAGIS Digital Home. The appointment marks a new step in strengthening the coordination and development of the digital youth ministry initiative.
The training brought together MDH animators along with Province JYMSA Coordinators, creating an opportunity for collaboration, mutual learning and networking across provinces. The programme strengthened the participants’ understanding that digital ministry is not merely about producing content but about creating spaces where young people can connect, communicate, discover themselves and encounter God.

The three-day training concluded with renewed commitment among the animators to take forward MAGIS Digital Home as a vibrant digital space for youth accompaniment, formation, connection and opportunities.
Congratulations to Fr. Kennedy and the entire MDH team of animators as they take up this important mission of accompanying young people through the digital world.

Reported by Fr. Vernard Antony, SJ, JCSA Youth Coordinator