Meeting of the European Team of Catechists in Corato

From 3 to 8 June 2026, the European Team of Catechists (EEC) is holding a congress in Corato, Italy, titled “Catechesis as a Space of Encounter and Peace – Uniting Diversity.” The event brings together around 50 catechists, representatives of catechetical offices, and professors of catechetics from fifteen European countries. Five representatives from the Slovenian Catechetical Office and the Faculty of Theology are attending from Slovenia. Together, we are reflecting on how catechesis can become a space for dialogue, listening, hospitality, and reconciliation in today’s divided Europe, amidst a rapidly changing world and the intertwining of numerous cultures. The programme is structured as a blend of expert lectures, presentations of good catechetical practices, group work, prayer, and encounters with the local Church.

The central theme of the congress arises from the question of how to develop a culture of encounter in European societies marked by cultural differences, social tensions, secularisation, fear of otherness, religious indifference, and experiences of conflict. The lectures address the issue from sociological, philosophical, and theological perspectives. They emphasise that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but requires education in relationship, listening, discernment, and responsible coexistence. Catechesis is therefore presented as an important space in which faith is conveyed not merely as content, but as a lived experience of encounter with God and with others. We also heard testimonies about various catechetical experiences in Europe, with two Slovenian representatives contributing: Dr Janez Vodičar with his lecture “Catechesis as an Alternative to a Competitive Europe” and Mag. Sr Magda Burger with her contribution “Two Lungs of One Church.”

This year’s congress is particularly festive, as the European Team of Catechists is celebrating its 75th anniversary. During the election of a new member to the team’s executive committee, we were delighted that the Slovenian representative, Assoc. Prof. Dr Andrej Šegula, was elected by a large majority; on behalf of all catechists, we extend our sincere congratulations to him. We conclude this report with his comments on the work within the Executive Committee of the European Team of Catechists:

As a newly elected member of the committee, I am grateful for the trust placed in me and for the opportunity to participate in the collective reflection on the future of catechesis. In a previous term, this role was successfully fulfilled by Mag. Sr Magda Burger, who, through her involvement in the broader European context, played a significant role in shaping the development of the Slovenian Catechetical Plan. It seems important to me that this position is also held by someone from this part of Europe, from a region that can be understood as the threshold between East and West. We have our own history, experiences, and knowledge, which have taught us that faith does not live solely through words, but above all through witness, encounter, and community. I am convinced that with this perspective we can contribute to a better and more profound catechesis, one that will not merely convey religious knowledge but will speak to the whole person. My hope is that catechesis will lead people closer to God, to the Church, and to a life according to the Gospel in the concrete world in which we live.