New Head of the Ordinariate for the Eastern Churches: Archbishop Grünwidl Succeeds Cardinal Schönborn

Catholic Austria is facing a significant liturgical and structural transition of leadership. According to a Vatican announcement, Pope Leo XIV has appointed Vienna Archbishop Josef Grünwidl as the new Ordinary for the Catholic Eastern Churches, effective immediately. Grünwidl succeeds Cardinal Christoph Schönborn in this role, who had continued to serve in this office even after his retirement as archbishop. The solemn handover ceremony is scheduled for this coming fall.

A “True Treasure” of the Universal Church

In an initial reaction, Archbishop Grünwidl expressed his gratitude and deep admiration for the steadfastness of the Eastern Catholic faithful: “With their liturgical diversity and many distinctive features, the Eastern Catholic Churches are a true treasure—not only in Vienna and Austria, but for the entire universal Church.”

Many of the faithful had experienced personal discrimination and persecution in their countries of origin. Against this background, Grünwidl said he was looking forward to his new ministry and to the strong witness of faith offered by the parishes.

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, who had guided the Ordinariate for over 30 years, reacted with joy to the succession plan. He highlighted Vienna’s long tradition as a bridge to the Christian East. Schönborn expressed particular gratitude to the Ordinariate’s Vicar General, Archpriest Yuriy Kolasa—who will retain operational leadership—for the successful expansion of the parishes across the federal states.

Dynamic Growth Through Migration

The Ordinariate of the Eastern Churches in Austria has grown significantly in recent years and now numbers well over 20,000 faithful—and the trend is upward. A major reason for this growth lies in the migration and refugee flows of the past decades, which were triggered primarily by the conflicts in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine.

By far the largest group among the Byzantine Eastern Churches in Austria is the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The Ordinariate also includes, among others, Byzantine Churches such as the Romanian, Slovak, and Melkite communities, as well as believers from Hungary and Serbia, and Eastern Churches such as the Maronite, Armenian Catholic, Chaldean, Syro-Malankara, Syro-Malabar, and Ethiopian Catholic Christians.

Currently, approximately 85 priests minister to the faithful throughout Austria. The spiritual and administrative center of the Ordinariate is the historic Central Parish of St. Barbara in Vienna, from which some 35 pastoral centers nationwide are also coordinated.

What Are the Eastern Catholic Churches?

The Eastern Catholic Churches are autonomous Churches of their own right (Ecclesiae sui iuris). Historically, they emerged from Orthodox or Oriental Orthodox traditions but, over the centuries, entered into full ecclesial communion with the Pope in Rome.

There are approximately 23 such churches worldwide that, while recognizing papal primacy, maintain their own canon law (set forth in the Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium, CCEO) and rites and traditions. For example, in most of these churches, the ordination of married men as priests is common.

Since these churches often do not have their own comprehensive hierarchy (eparchies) in Western countries, they are grouped into so-called Eastern Church Ordinariates. This model of pastoral care, under the ultimate responsibility of a Roman Catholic local bishop, exists worldwide—apart from Austria—in only a few countries, including France, Spain, Brazil, and Argentina.

Kathpress

Ordinariate for the Faithful of the Eastern Catholic Churches in Austria