Vienna is waiting for a new archbishop: nomination possible until Christmas!

Vienna is waiting for a new archbishop: nomination possible until Christmas!

The Archdiocese of Vienna is facing a significant turning point. After more than three decades under the leadership of Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, who submitted his resignation on January 22, 2025, the Sedis vacancy has now been a hotly debated topic in the city for almost nine months. Dissatisfaction over the long wait for a new archbishop is becoming increasingly louder. Many believers and church members are wondering what will happen next, even though the administration is working well under the leadership of Josef Grünwidl, as Tagespost reports.

The Apostolic Administrator, who became episcopal vicar for the Southern Vicariate, has been steering the fortunes of the archdiocese since January 2023 and is optimistic. His expectation is that the search for a new archbishop will be completed by the end of the year. “The pope has a free hand in the appointment,” he said. Nevertheless, the circumstances are challenging because finding suitable candidates is difficult. Among the potential successors, names such as Wilhelm Krautwaschl, Hermann Glettler and Peter Schipka are being discussed, while the two Viennese auxiliary bishops, Stephan Turnovszky and Franz Scharl, are not as popular.

A look at the background

Schönborn's resignation was announced on time for his 80th birthday, which, together with the church rules that stipulate a resignation at the age of 75, took on even more weight. This resignation not only has symbolic meaning, but also influences pastoral work in Vienna. At his farewell, Schönborn expressed thanks for the years together and emphasized the importance of community in the diocese. At the same time, he apologized for anything he may have done wrong and stated that there will be no structural reforms for the time being while Grünwidl is in charge, as Vatican News reports.

Against this background, the topic of celibacy and the role of women in the Grünwidl church are also addressed. He has the will to initiate change and sees himself not only as an administrator, but also as part of a new discourse that affects the Catholic Church in Austria. “We are on a path of synodality,” he noted in an interview, emphasizing the need to continue on this path. This could possibly also shape the future archbishop and his leadership, considering that it may still be a few months before a successor is introduced, as indicated on katholisch.de.

The next steps

The cardinals' meeting in September, which is scheduled to take place in Rome after the summer break, will be a crucial moment to clarify bishops' questions and agree on how to proceed. In the Archdiocese of Vienna it was reported that the financial problems caused by losses in 2023 also pose a challenge. Grünwidl argues that although the long-term reforms have to stand still for the time being, the task of maintaining community life remains in the foreground. There is great hope that there will soon be clarity about the future of the archdiocese.