Participation of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada in the International Symposium
“Religious Education: From the Cognitive Experience of Learning to the Psychology of Spiritual Experiences”

Between March 18–20, 2026, Mrs. Carmen Ognean, Coordinator of the Education Department of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada, participated in the online international symposium “Religious Education: From the Cognitive Experience of Learning to the Psychology of Spiritual Experiences. Interconfessional and Interdisciplinary Perspectives.” The event was organized by the Didactica Red Association & Creator TV, in collaboration with the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Cluj-Napoca and the Catechetical Department of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy. Over 400 individuals involved in educational and catechetical activities attended the event.

Mrs. Ognean’s presentation, entitled “Education and Religious Experiences as Forms of Identity Rediscovery and Character Formation,” highlighted the profound relationship between intellectual formation and spiritual life, as well as their importance in strengthening both personal and communal identity. She emphasized that education and religious experience are two complementary dimensions of human formation—one oriented toward rational knowledge and intellectual development, the other toward interiority, meaning, and values.

In a world marked by fragmentation and secularization, rediscovering spiritual roots becomes essential for preserving dignity and identity. Referring to the concrete realities of the Orthodox diaspora in Canada, Mrs. Ognean offered compelling examples of how believers’ identities are shaped and strengthened through Church life. She recalled that the first Romanians who settled in Canada over 120 years ago, “after building a home for their families, also built a church—an indication of the priority of spiritual life within the community.”

Today, Romanian Orthodox parishes across North America continue to serve as spaces of communion, education, and culture, where language, traditions, and national values are preserved. Around the church, a rich social and educational life develops: Sunday schools, cultural activities, and catechetical programs that contribute to forming a balanced and conscious identity, capable of integrating traditional values within the multicultural Canadian context.

Mrs. Ognean also emphasized that lived spirituality in the diaspora involves a conscious and mature embrace of faith, as participation in liturgical life is no longer simply an inherited tradition, but a personal choice. This authentic spiritual experience brings believers closer together and helps them rediscover the profound meaning of belonging to the Body of Christ.

In conclusion, she affirmed that education and religious formation remain essential pillars in preserving Orthodox identity and spiritual unity among Romanians in the diaspora. Through its pastoral and educational mission, the Church continues to be the place where contemporary individuals rediscover their roots, meaning, and dignity—becoming a living space of encounter between generations, tradition, and faith.