Together with the Prayer Spaces in Schools International Director, Phil Sokel-Miles, Fr Reuben Gauci has recently had the privilege of travelling to Slovakia for a series of Prayer Spaces in Schools training sessions. What began as a mission to share ideas and practical tools quickly became something much deeper: an experience of connection, faith, and shared humanity.

Over four days in the first week of April 2026, they travelled across three locations, working with more than 150 participants, including religious education teachers, priests, nuns, catechists, and children’s workers. Each group brought openness, curiosity, and a genuine desire to create meaningful spaces for prayer in their own communities.

The training itself was rich and engaging, but some of the most powerful moments came when participants were invited to step into the activities themselves. They didn’t just learn about prayer spaces; they experienced them. As they engaged with stations focused on letting go of worries, asking big questions, offering forgiveness, expressing gratitude, and processing grief, something shifted.

In those quiet, reflective moments, many found themselves deeply moved. Some wrote their prayers on sticky notes with tears in their eyes. In that space, ‘training’ gently gave way to ‘ministry’. It became clear that these simple, creative activities hold the power to touch hearts in profound ways.

And as one of the participants said:

“Although I have been attending various catechetical formations for 22 years, I have never experienced anything so creative in that time.”

Many thanks to eRko for cooperation in the organisation. We look forward to taking concrete steps in our further cooperation with them to bring Prayer Spaces closer to children and young people in Slovakia.