Where does parish vicar Wirzberger's path lead in Mittenwald?

Where does parish vicar Wirzberger's path lead in Mittenwald?

In the last few months there has been a clearly noticeable change in personnel in the Isartal parishes. The communities of Mittenwald, Krün and Wallgau, where parish vicar Korbinian Wirzberger (41) and Father Cezary Liwinski (56) are particularly affected, are particularly affected. Both are currently in an uncertain situation due to internal restructuring of the Archdiocese of Munich-Freising.

Parish vicar Wirzberger, who has been a central figure for around 6,000 Catholics in the Upper Isar Valley for almost four years, expressed his surprise at the lack of information about his professional future. “I have no idea, I don’t know anything at all,” explained Wirzberger, who now also has to leave his position after Pastor Michael Wehrsdorf resigns. The moment when he has to give up this trusting role is approaching, but clear information about his next steps remains a long way off.

It was initially planned for Wirzberger to be prepared for his new job by mid-November as part of a retreat. Unfortunately, this period of time has now become very short and the preparations seem to be in limbo. A spokeswoman for the Ordinariate only confirmed that a decision on his future deployment was expected in the next few weeks.

Similar to Wirzberger, who is considered a very popular and trusted personality, the future of Father Cezary Liwinski is anything but certain. The Poland native has served in the region since 2018 but is also affected by the uncertainty. “I really don’t know anything,” emphasizes Liwinski, making it clear that neither he nor any official bodies have provided any clarifying information. “Neither from the Ordinariate nor from the Order,” he added, reinforcing the feeling of being in a holding pattern.

Regarding Father Liwinski's current situation, the Ordinariate has stated that discussions are underway between the Provincial Council and the Vicariate General, but the answer already suggests that there appears to be little room for detailed communication. The ongoing personnel debates seem to not only affect Wirzberger and Liwinski, but also represent a fundamental problem within church personnel management.

How events will continue to unfold remains exciting. The news from the Isartal parishes shows once again how important internal communication and transparency are for the work in the Catholic Church. According to a spokesman for the Ordinariate, the future positions of Wirzberger and Liwinski are expected to be announced by the end of October. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop and where it will lead the two future pastors. More details on this topic can be found in a detailed report www.merkur.de.