Eventful Year Approaching for the Catholic Church

The Catholic Church is facing an eventful year in 2026. The highlight will be the episcopal consecration of the new Archbishop of Vienna, Josef Grünwidl, which will take place on January 24th in St. Stephen's Cathedral. Also, the chairmen of the European Bishops' Conferences will meet in Austria this year: They will gather from October 27th to 30th for the plenary assembly of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) in Salzburg, as reported by "Kathpress" on Monday.

"Kaleidio" and Bishops' Plenary Assemblies

The year 2026 also brings the relaunch of the largest domestic youth and altar server camp "Kaleidio". This will take place from July 12th to 18th in Leoben.

Important dates also include the plenary assemblies of the Austrian bishops, which are planned for March at the "House of Women" in St. Johann near Herberstein, in June in Mariazell, and in November in Salzburg. Additionally, the election of the chairman of the Bishops' Conference is scheduled for 2026.

New appointments are also pending in other church sectors: The Pontifical Mission Societies will receive new leadership, and Austria's largest women's organization, the Catholic Women's Movement, will elect a new chairwoman. Caroline List will take over the leadership of the Independent Victim Protection Advocacy at the turn of the year.

Long Night of Churches and Festival Pastoral Care

The "Long Night of Churches", which attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year with its diverse program, will take place on May 29th, 2026. The Catholic Church will also be present at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in May in Vienna - through festival pastoral care in the "Song Contest Village" on Vienna's Rathausplatz.

The diocesan reforms, which aim at contemporary pastoral structures, are to continue in the Catholic Church, according to "Kathpress". The Apostolic Visitation in Heiligenkreuz Abbey will be continued. The case of the three nuns who returned to the vacant Goldenstein Monastery near Salzburg against the will of their superior is also likely to attract further interest.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.