New Movements and Catholic Action clash in Austria

JAKOB" co-ordination office reacts to accusation by KAÖ President Kaineder that Bishops have shifted resources to "New Movements" - Against "internal profiling of enemies" within the Church

New Movements", i.e. spiritual renewal movements in the Catholic Church, "perform an invaluable service for the Church and especially for the people in Austria in countless areas of pastoral care, such as in the areas of children, youth, family, marriage." With these words, the Federal Coordination Office "JAKOB" (Youth Apostolate of Catholic Orders and Movements) of the Austrian Bishops' Conference reacted to statements by the President of Catholic Action Austria (KAÖ), Ferdinand Kaineder, who had previously critically questioned their importance in an interview and called for more synodality in the Church.

The New Movement in Austria have been living the "heartbeat of synodality" for years, emphasised "JAKOB" director, Angelika Hirschenberger in a dispatch on Thursday. As communities, they are "on the Path together: listening to the Holy Spirit and to each other, in constant exchange" - and all this with a strong connection to the local Church under the leadership of the respective Diocesan Bishop. In addition, New Movements always seek "synodal co-operation" with existing structures of the Catholic Church, Hirschenberger mentioned parishes, dioceses or also the large network of Catholic Action as examples of this.

For many years, "JAKOB" has linked more than 100 movements, orders and initiatives in the area of youth and young adults that are not part of the local Church and thus - according to the Executive Director - makes the diverse Catholic youth pastoral in Austria visible. Groupings would be supported "to become even more fruitfully involved in the structures of the Church".

KAÖ President Kaineder, who in her view was pushing "a counterpart of New Movements and Catholic Action", had invited her to a personal exchange soon to clear up misunderstandings, Hirschenberger said. The Church needs "true synodality" and thus common listening to each other, real openness to diversity within the Catholic Church and dialogue instead of "inner-church enemy images" and ideologisation. "Sincere and honest bridge-building, not erecting walls", would take the Church further.

KAÖ wants to overcome distancing

KAÖ President Kaineder had regretted in an interview by German church media that in the last two to three decades several bishops in Austria had placed more emphasis on the so-called spiritual movements ("Movimenti") and less on Catholic Action as the official lay organisation and its "diverse and colourful presence". According to Kaineder, KAÖ wants to "reverse" this development of distancing, which is also connected with fewer resources, and win the bishops over to it.

Source

Cathcon: Catholic Action is just the engine of modernism in the Austrian Catholic Church and the New Movements are poor substitutes for the traditional religious orders.  Barriers to evangelisation.