(ANS - Rome) - To mark the 60th anniversary of its foundation, the Institute of Catechetics in the Faculty of Education at the Salesian Pontifical University has organized an international congress entitled: The Catechesis of young people and the New Media in the context of anthropological-cultural change, to be held at the Salesian University in Rome on 15 and 16 May 2015.

The interest in catechesis has been present since the creation of the Salesian Athenaeum in 1940.  The founder of the University, Fr Peter Ricaldone, fourth successor of Don Bosco, said: "It seems to me superfluous to add that catechesis will always have a place of absolute priority both in the Institute of Pedagogy of the University and in the houses of formation.”

In this age of social media, communication of the faith must be examined in the light of the new context. New methods of handing on the faith must be identified, that will be more appropriate to the problems of the time and more effective in meeting present-day demands.

The Congress next weekend will examine these challenges. The programme includes three sessions, the first of which will take place on the morning of Friday 15 May. It will aim to describe the context in which Catechesis takes place. There will be two talks, one from Professor Norbert Mette (University of Dortmund) and one from Professor Edmund Arens (University of Lucerne), on the theme: "Catechesis today: challenges and problems." There will be four respondents: José Luis Moral (UPS), Ermanno Genre (Waldensian Theological Faculty, Rome), Giuseppe Ruta (San Tommaso Theological Institute, Messina), and Luciano Meddi (Urban University, Rome). The session will end with an assembly discussion.

The second session will be in collaboration with the Faculty of Social Communication and will take place in the afternoon of the same day. It will consist of four workshops on methodology: "Catechesis, new media and radio / TV" (Cosimo Alvati), "Catechesis, social networks and web 2.0" (Fabio Pasqualetti), "Catechesis and image" (Renato Butera), and "Catechesis and the Youth Project 'In another World '" by the CEI team promoting financial support.

The last session will be held on the morning of Saturday 16 May and will focus on the general theme: "New media and education". The main talk will be given by Professor Giuseppe Riva (Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan), who will talk about "New Media: what kind of anthropology, and what kind of education?" Reaction to his talk will be given by Gabriele Quinzi (Faculty of Education, UPS), Ubaldo Montisci (Faculty of Education, UPS) and Rosangela Siboldi (Auxilium, Rome). This will be followed by a debate in the hall and the concluding summary of the conference.

Participants must register at www.rivistadipedagogiareligiosa.it

Published 12/05/2015