What does the future hold for Europe at a time of profound political, economic, social and technological change? And what contribution can Catholic Social Teaching make to the process of European integration? These are the central questions to be addressed at the Second European Conference organised by the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation (FCAPP), in collaboration with the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), which will take place in Brussels on 11–12 November 2026 under the title “Supporting the European Idea in Challenging Times: Catholic Social Teaching and European Integration Today”. Full programme
The conference will bring together representatives of the Church, European institutions, the diplomatic community and academia to reflect on the challenges currently facing Europe, including security and defence, migration, peace and prosperity, as well as the contribution of Catholic Social Teaching to European integration. Attention will be devoted to the challenges ahead and to the role of Christian social values in shaping a more cohesive and inclusive Europe. A perspective echoed by Pope Leo XIV in his address delivered in Metz on 28 September 2026, on the occasion of the meeting “To the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity”.
The Conference
Professor Paolo Garonna, President of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, and Dr Stephanie zu Löwenstein, representative of the Foundation’s German Chapter, will deliver the opening and closing remarks at the two-day conference.
Among the keynote speakers, H.E. Archbishop Bernadito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio to the European Union, will address the theme “Catholic Social Teaching and European Integration Today”.
Fr Manuel Enrique Barrios Prieto, Secretary General of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), will deliver a welcome address at the opening session, while Friederike Ladenburger, COMECE Adviser on Ethics, Research and Health, will moderate the panel discussion on European security and defence.
The conference is organised by the German Chapter of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, in cooperation with the Foundation’s Netherlands Chapter, with the support of its General Secretariat and in collaboration with COMECE. The Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to the European Union is also a partner in the initiative.
The Digital Revolution
On the morning of 11 November, the programme will feature a presentation of the book ¿Cómo responde Europa? Revolución digital y transformación del trabajo (How Is Europe Responding? The Digital Revolution and the Transformation of Work), published by Fundación Pablo VI and edited by Domingo Sugranyes, former President of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation.
Organised by Fundación Pablo VI and COMECE, this separate side event will also provide an opportunity to explore how digitalisation and artificial intelligence are reshaping the world of work, contributing to the broader discussion on the challenges facing Europe.
Bringing together contributions from more than thirty authors – including former President of the European Commission Romano Prodi and former President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy – the book examines how Europe can respond to the technological, economic and social transformations affecting every aspect of the world of work.
The book will be presented by Jesús Avezuela, Director General of Fundación Pablo VI, and Domingo Sugranyes, its editor. Their presentations will be followed by an address from Ignasi Guardans, former Member of the European Parliament and lecturer at Sciences Po Paris.
The subsequent discussion will bring together Liviu Stirbat, Head of the European Commission’s “AI in Science and Critical Technologies” Unit; Paolo Garonna, President of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation; and Fr Manuel Barrios Prieto, Secretary General of COMECE. Info & Registration
Reflection, encounter and dialogue
The Brussels conference “Supporting the European Idea in Challenging Times: Catholic Social Teaching and European Integration Today” marks another milestone in an ongoing journey of reflection on the contribution of Catholic Social Teaching to Europe’s future. This journey began on 23 January 2026 in Luxembourg, with the First European Conference dedicated to building peace, and continued on 17 October 2026 in Ventotene, Italy, with a seminar exploring the role of Catholics in shaping the European Union, organised with the valuable support and participation of the Archbishop of Gaeta, H.E. Archbishop Luigi Vari.
Together, these three events, form part of a continuing process of reflection and dialogue, united by a common purpose: to address the challenges of our time and contribute to building a Europe founded on peace, dialogue, solidarity and the common good.