Lecture Blocks

Lecture blocks in Czech (it’s possible to come with an interpreter)

1. Development and the Current Situation in the Church and Pastoral work

How has the situation in our church changed during the past twenty years?

What are the most important changes in tradition and in the activities of the Church?

How is this development reflected in the Catholic Church in the Czech Republic?

How should the church adapt to the situation and trends in society and to what extent?

What are the main trends in pastoral work among university students?

What problems and challenges is it currently facing?

How has the path to faith and spiritual life changed?

What was the role of the Church and clergy at the beginning of the 90s? How has this role changed since then and what should it be now?

How has the way the society looks upon the Church and Christians changed?

2. Personal Journey of Faith vs. Community, Tradition

How to reconcile living according to the tradition with trying to find what I should do for God right now?

What am I bound to by tradition and membership of the church?

To what extent and how should I seek spiritual guidance and at the same time search for my personal journey of faith?

Being alone with God and being a part of the Christian community.

Common path to Christ and being alone with Christ in relationships and marriage.

How to discern what is right – the role of commandments, teaching of the Church and conscience? How does one’s spiritual life change after leaving university? How to be as open minded as possible without becoming lukewarm?

3. Development and the Current Situation in Society

How has the civic society been developing in our country? How do NGOs operate here and what problems are they facing? How can we help effectively?

How has the relation of young people to politics been changing over the past years? What are they / should they be doing for the cultivation of the political environment?

Ecology – situation in our country, global view and the impact of our everyday choices.

Bioethics – scientific discoveries and ethical questions.

What influence do the media have and what are the responsibilities of the journalists? How to reconcile efficiency and ethics in professional life, politics and economics?

4. How to Live with God in Today’s World

Christians should care about society – why and how does this manifest itself? What values and attitudes can Christians bring to the society? Should their life alone be visible or should their faith also be seen by others? How does success fir in with Christian values? How to be as close to other people as possible without uncritically accepting what is presented as “normal”? How to be committed without letting worries engulf you? How important is it to find time devoted solely to God and how to be Christian in everything we do? How can we make the best of our capabilities without relying solely on our own strength?

5. Jubilee - 20 years of Freedom - 10 years of “Student Velehrad “(in English)

How has the Czech Catholic Church changed since 1989? How have students’ opinion, preferences and mentality changed over the same period? How can we see these changes in everyday life? What trends can we expect in the future?

These and similar questions will be addressed in a talk by Fr. Josef Stuchly, SJ. He is, the National delegate for Pastoral Care of University Students in our country. He will talk on how the campus ministry developed during the last 20 years. He will use the history of “Studentsy Velehrad” meetings to document changes in our society and the Church after the fall of the Iron Curtain.