Auxiliary Bishop Wörner brings a breath of fresh air into religious education

Auxiliary Bishop Wörner brings a breath of fresh air into religious education

Augsburg Auxiliary Bishop Florian Wörner has announced his return to the classroom. Since this school year he has been teaching religious education again at the Maria Ward-Realschule in Augsburg, as well as both Kathpress as well as Sunday paper report. This takes place as part of a weekly commitment of two hours in a fifth secondary school class with 21 students. Wörner, who taught regularly until 15 years ago, sees this return as an opportunity to deepen his experiences and experience the changes among young people first hand.

A teacher with passion

The 55-year-old auxiliary bishop explained that he wanted to use his teaching to send a clear signal that religious education is important. By working directly with students, he also wants to create the conditions for informed decisions within the school department. “As someone who makes decisions week after week,” says Wörner, he wants to return to the grassroots. The teaching methodology has changed; Instead of a class book, he now uses a tablet, which reflects digitalization in education. The challenges are diverse, especially the increasing heterogeneity of students and their different backgrounds.

Wörner emphasizes that religious education offers space to communicate faith and connect it with the realities of children's lives. He sees it as important to provide impulses for personal development and the transmission of values. In addition, for many young people it is the last opportunity to establish contact with the message of faith and the church. This return to school is not only a step back for Wörner, but also a significant influence on the future generation, as he himself states.