SPPU lecturer and coordinator of educational programmes, Dr John-Paul Sheridan was a keynote speaker at the Catechetical Conference for the Vicariate of Southern Arabia on October 1^st & 2^nd in Dubai. Dr Sheridan gave two presentations based on the new Directory for Catechesis. The first presentation was on the Child and Catechesis, highlighting the way in which current research in the spirituality of the child is in alignment with the thinking in the new directory.

His second presentation was on the role of the Catechist, and in particular the titles given to the catechist in the new Directory and in the document, Antiquum Ministerium. On October 7^th and 8^th, he spoke to catechists on the same topics in the city of Muscat in Oman, and then led a workshop for catechists preparing children for Confirmation.