New Cardinal Nemet: Bridge builders between the east and west

New Cardinal Nemet: Bridge builders between the east and west

A significant news from the Catholic Church has reached the region: The Belgrade Archbishop Ladislav Nemet will be among the 21 new cardinals, which will be appointed by Pope Francis on December 8, 2023. Nemet, who has close roots in Austria, has established itself as an influential personality within the church over the years. His connection to Austria extends to his beginnings as a chaplain and professor, where he has contributed significantly to religious education.

Ladislav Nemet was born in Serbia in 1956 and in 1976 joined the Steyler missionaries, a religious religious community. He studied philosophy and theology before he was ordained a priest in 1983. In the 1990s he lived in Austria and continued his career at the Philosophical theological University in St. Gabriel. There he taught dogmatics and acted as a prefect of the theology students. He also worked in pastoral care, especially in Mödling.

a networker with extensive influence

nemet has not only established itself as a visual spirit, but also as an important player within the Catholic Church in Europe. He has been Vice President of the Council of the European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) since 2021 and has made a special contribution to promoting synodity in the church. "Synodity is not a moment, but a process," he said in an interview and emphasized the need for patience in this lengthy but necessary process.

his commitment is also shown in the organization of workshops, such as the youngest in Linz, where he encouraged the participants to deepen the dialogue among church representatives. His goal is to build bridges between the east and western Europe and thus promote a new culture of cooperation.

nemet enjoys great recognition, not only for his theological skills, but also for his outstanding language skills. He speaks several languages such as Hungarian, Polish, German, English and Italian, which makes him a sought -after conversation partner at an international level.

The positive feedback from Serbia is also particularly remarkable. President Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije congratulated Nemet on his appointment as cardinal, which underlines Nemets within the Catholic and the entire religious community in Serbia. The Patriarch emphasized that this appointment was not only recognized for Neme's achievements, but also confirmation of Serbia's role in the European Church.

The entire country looks forward to the official appointment and the important tasks that the new cardinal will take on in the Catholic Church. His career and work have already left significant traces and it remains to be seen which impulses he will put as a cardinal to strengthen the Catholic community in Europe and beyond.

Another Steyler missionary who is appointed cardinal on the same day is Tarcisio Kikutchi from Tokyo, which underlines the connections between Steyler missionaries and their international influence. Christian Stranz, the provincial of the Steyler missionaries in Central Europe, called Nemet an "excellent networker", which illustrates the high appreciation that is granted to him

For more information about the current developments related to Cardinal Nemet and his career, interested parties can . There the background and the importance of his appointment are explained in more detail.