Diversity of military pastoral care: support for soldiers in action

Diversity of military pastoral care: support for soldiers in action

Laimgrubengasse 10, 1060 Wien, Österreich - Military pastoral care in Austria has a long tradition and is an indispensable support for soldiers of the Federal Army. It offers an important pastoral accompaniment that goes beyond the borders of the country and has grown continuously since its foundation in 1956. Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner emphasizes the central role of military pastoral care, especially in challenging times such as foreign missions, where soldiers face psychological and emotional challenges. This form of support makes a decisive contribution to the well-being of the Federal Changes of the Bundes.

variety of pastoral care

The Armed Forces integrates a large number of religious traditions into its pastoral care. In addition to Catholic and Protestant pastoral care, there have also been Orthodox, Islamic, Alevi and Jewish offers since 2012. This diversity reflects social reality in Austria and ensures that every soldier has access to the pastoral support that suits him. Military pastoral care works according to the principle of "co -followed pastoral care", in which military pastors also come directly to the soldiers for missions abroad. In addition, there is continuous advice for department heads in ethical and religious affairs, as bundeswehr.de emphasized.

To ensure the quality and trustworthiness of military pastoral care, military pastors must go through extensive exams and sign confidentiality declarations. Islamic pastoral care places special emphasis on well -founded training in Austria, which also requires knowledge of the German language. This not only ensures the expertise, but also strengthened the trust of the soldiers in pastoral care.