John Lydon, Assistant Headteacher of Salesian School Chertsey and a Senior Lecturer at St Mary's University College, Twickenham, represented the Catholic Association of Teachers Schools and Colleges at a meeting of the World Union of Catholic Teachers (WUCT) which took place in Rome at the end of October. Teachers from countries including Argentina, The Philippines, Malta and several European countries met with officials from the Congregation for Catholic Education, the department of the Roman Curia responsible for Catholic education in schools, universities and seminaries.

The meeting began with presentations by the Prefect of the Congregation, Cardinal Grocholewski, and other officials who outlined the concerns of the Congregation for Catholic education worldwide and these were followed by discussions about the situation in the countries represented at the meeting. These discussions highlighted the wide range of concerns experienced including the challenges to the existence of faith schools in an increasingly alien environment countered by accounts of formation programmes within individual schools and at diocesan level.

The delegates were accommodated in the Salesianum and the celebration of Mass in the crypt of St Peter's was certainly one of the highlights of the three-day meeting.

The Salesian Bishop Luc Van Looy of Ghent is the Ecclesiastical Assistant of WUCT. Apart from his invaluable counsel, the presence of Bishop Van Looy in the Salesianum, and the genuine respect afforded him by everyone involved in the organisation there, left a deep impression on the delegates.

Members of WUCT and Vatican officials gathered in the Vatican (John Lydon is third from left)