Austrian School Pastoral Care Conference: Promoting Peace & Preventing Violence

Linz Hosts National Dialogue on School Pastoral Care and Violence Prevention

A recent gathering in Linz brought together religious leaders, educators, and pastoral care professionals to discuss the critical role of school pastoral care in fostering peaceful school environments and preventing violence. The Tagung zu Schulseelsorge in Linz, focused on how school pastoral care and school ministry can contribute to peacebuilding and violence prevention within schools, addressing the increasing challenges faced in today’s educational settings.

The event, held on March 12, 2026, featured presentations and discussions on effective strategies for creating a respectful and supportive atmosphere for students. Participants explored the boundaries and best practices for providing pastoral support, recognizing the importance of a collaborative approach involving schools, religious communities, and families.

Ecumenical Opening and Emphasis on Pastoral Care

The conference commenced with welcoming remarks from Bishop Cornelia Richter of the Evangelical Church of Austria and Bishop Wilhelm Krautwaschl of Graz, who holds responsibility for school matters within the Austrian Bishops’ Conference. Both leaders underscored the significance of pastoral support within the school context. Bishop Krautwaschl highlighted that school pastoral function creates spaces where questions and searches can find a place, whereas Bishop Richter declared pastoral care a “trademark of our churches,” emphasizing its particular importance for children and young people in schools.

Richter argued that developing resilience in young people requires just one supportive figure who offers unconditional appreciation – a role that a school pastoral counselor can fulfill.

Balancing Guidance and Autonomy in Pastoral Care

Salzburg’s General Vicar, Harald Mattel, delivered a keynote address titled “Accompanying or Determining? School Pastoral Care in the Tension Between Voluntariness and Institutional Obligation.” Mattel, drawing on his extensive experience in children and youth ministry, provided insights into violence prevention within the context of school pastoral care and ministry. He emphasized that the goal of school pastoral work should be to empower young people to develop free and informed decisions.

But, Mattel also cautioned about the importance of sensitivity to power dynamics and potential boundary violations, particularly the risk of “spiritual violence” – the misuse of religious content or authority to exert pressure or create dependencies. He stressed the need for transparency, fairness, and appropriateness in any regulations governing school pastoral care.

Frameworks for Responsible School Pastoral Care

Mattel specifically noted that pastoral conversations with minors should not capture place in private spaces belonging to counselors. He proposed the guiding principle of “accompaniment rather than direction,” acknowledging the combined personal and institutional authority of school counselors.

Practical Examples and the Importance of Networking

Anne-Kathrin Wenk, a specialist author and apprenticeship trainer, and Sabine Schönwetter-Cebrat, a specialist inspector for Protestant religious education in Styria, offered a practical perspective on the conference theme. They explored the theological foundations of Protestant school pastoral care and invited participants to reflect on their own practices. They highlighted the diverse possibilities of school pastoral care, ranging from one-on-one conversations to group offerings, spiritual impulses, and diaconal projects.

A key takeaway was that school pastoral care thrives on cooperation both within and outside the school. The speakers emphasized the importance of building a collaborative psychosocial support system involving school psychologists, social workers, youth coaches, educational counselors, student advisors, and peer mediators.

Discussion of Real-World Challenges

The conference provided a forum for discussing concrete challenges encountered in schools, such as supporting students without religious affiliation. Participants agreed on the importance of bearing witness to one’s own faith while respecting the freedom of young people and avoiding imposing pre-defined answers. Instead, the emphasis was on asking questions, encouraging reflection, and accompanying students on their personal journeys.

Organizational Details and Further Resources

The conference was jointly organized by Marie-Theres Igrec (Head of Education and Religious Schools at the Austrian Ordenskonferenz), Sabine Schönwetter-Cebrat (Evangelical Church of Austria), and Anna Davogg (Conference of School Superintendents of Austria). The organizing team also included Clemens Paulovics (Association of Religious Schools of Austria), Anne-Kathrin Wenk, Sr. Gudrun Schellner SSM, and Markus Aichelburg.

The insights from a previous Austrian-wide ecumenical school pastoral care conference in 2023 have been published in the book “Seelsorge im Lebensraum Schule – Ökumenische Perspektiven”, recently released by Herder Verlag. This publication makes key themes accessible to a wider audience.

Source: SALK