Suche
50 years of neocatechumenate: a festival of faith in the Vienna Stephans Cathedral!
On December 11, 2024, the Neocatechumenal Community in Austria celebrated for 50 years with a service in St. Stephen's Cathedral.
50 years of neocatechumenate: a festival of faith in the Vienna Stephans Cathedral!
The celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Neocatechumenal Way in Austria are imminent: On December 11, 2024, a thanksgiving service will take place in St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna under the direction of Cardinal Christoph Schönborn. The neocatechumenal path, also known as Cammino Neocatecumenal, was founded in Madrid in 1964 and is committed to accompanying the baptized Christians on their faith in the long term. The first community in Austria was in 1974 in the parish of Döbling-St. Paul launched. Today there are 56 communities nationwide, including specific language groups such as Polish, Spanish and Croatian, which are active in various dioceses, such as in Vienna, St. Pölten, Linz, Salzburg, Graz, Klagenfurt and Innsbruck, reported kathpress.at.
At the same time, however, the movement is accompanied by controversy. Critics warn of a split within the parishes, since the neocatechumenals often act separately from traditional Catholic services. These groups are known for their special liturgical forms, which often take place behind closed doors, which leads to tensions with the established communities. The Archbishop of Vienna said in previous statements that he is concerned about the possible conflicts, but also emphasizes the positive contribution of neocatechumenate to renew the church orf.at.
Special features and challenges
A characteristic feature of neocatechumenate are the seminars worldwide over 100 by the community. In Vienna, on Wolfrathplatz, there is one of these seminars that has existed since 1995 and is currently training 17 seminarians. While the community is growing and is increasingly working in the mission, including public events in Vienna, there is an impression that this movement drives up or annoys many believers. One reason for this could be the strict rules and the special lifestyle of the members, reject the prevention of pregnancy and prefer a large number of children, which is criticized in some parishes.