At the turn of the year, the Austrian bishops called for confidence and hope. In view of the numerous crises and wars, one can certainly ask oneself whether it is justified to speak of hope, said Salzburg Archbishop Franz Lackner on New Year’s Eve during the traditional end-of-year service in Salzburg Cathedral: “I say: Yes! Hope is that divine virtue , embedded between faith and love, of which we as Christians cannot remain silent in these days. Hope is inscribed in us, the fragile and yet so stable foundation of our work and our responsibility.”
Lackner particularly highlighted the conclusion of the World Synod in Rome as the defining events of 2024 from a church perspective. The weeks in Rome taught him that the church is “not a monotonous church,” but rather lively and diverse. If, on the one hand, one is tempted to perceive such a church “as fragmented and polarized”, this is only half the truth: after all, a “positive indifference” can represent a valuable resource if it does not lead to hardening into one or another a different direction or lead to misguided claims to absoluteness. A “synodal church” is, first and foremost, a listening church that does not submit to a “majority vote” but rather strives to remain faithful to the message of Jesus, warned Lackner.
The Archbishop of Salzburg was convinced that such a diverse church is also an important resource for a secular society plagued by “divisions and disruptions”: “We are a listening church, especially where we do not have ready answers for everyone I see the source of hope that supports us and promises us that he, who wanted each and every one of us, here in the cathedral and out in the world, loves us and is always ready to follow our steps and lead.”
Vienna: End of the year prayer without Schönborn
In Vienna, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn had to cancel the traditional end-of-year service in St. Stephen’s Cathedral. He had a bad cold and was apologizing, said cathedral preacher Ewald Huscava, who celebrated the service in Schönborn’s place.
Marketz: Facing fears with sobriety
In his end-of-year prayer in Klagenfurt Cathedral, Carinthian Bishop Josef Marketz called for people to take a step back in the face of the fears triggered by numerous crises and to counter them with the message of Christmas. It’s good to “take a few steps back and see the disturbing events and threats in the world that scare us in a larger, global context,” said Marketz. At the same time, a closer look shows that despite the conflicts and hardships of the people in our own country, “we are still doing comparatively well here.” We should be grateful for that – as well as for the high level of solidarity and helpfulness that he was able to feel in society and in the church last year, said Marketz.
Marketz also drew attention to the church synodal process and the consequences that this path has had on the local church in Carinthia. “The year 2024 was another eventful year for our diocese, in which we felt that we are part of the Catholic Church as a whole.” Even if disagreements arise here and there about the future path of the Church, the “special quality of the synodal efforts” lies in “transcending traditional patterns of thought in order to achieve a new and common view of the reality of our Church and, in the midst of it, our diocese achieved,” appealed Marketz.
Elves: Remembering “Of Good Powers”
Vorarlberg Bishop Benno Elbs also admitted “mixed feelings” when looking back on the past year in his end-of-year prayer on Tuesday evening in Feldkirch Cathedral. On the one hand, there is rampant hunger, war and environmental destruction – on the other hand, a lot of good things are happening and people are experiencing solidarity and humanity. Personally, he draws hope primarily from a famous poem that the Protestant theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) wrote while in Nazi custody shortly before his execution exactly 80 years ago – on December 19, 1944 – and which is now a well-known church song has become: “Wonderfully protected by good powers”. Especially in view of the hardship in which Bonhoeffer wrote this, the text would still give “hope and strength” today, said Elbs.
In one verse it says: “When the silence now spreads deeply around us, let us hear that full sound.” Silence is – Elbs concludes – “one of the greatest resources that we as a church can offer people in our restless and nervous times.” It gives breadth and depth. Elbs: “I would like to give you a resolution for the new year: to keep a few minutes of silence at least once a day – be it at home or in a church or chapel; be it as a morning prayer or a review of the day in the evening. I wish with all my heart you so that you can hear the ‘full sound’ that Bonhoeffer speaks of.”
Glettler: “Five-finger sermon” of hope
Innsbruck Bishop Hermann Glettler also used the 80th anniversary of Bonhoefffer’s song “Of Good Powers” as an opportunity to reflect on hope and confidence in the face of suffering and crises. The song stands for the fact that ultimately “everything will be fine from God’s hand”. In fact, it is up to people to continually choose the good and to put this into practice with their hands. “At the threshold of the year, it is appropriate not to cramp your hands or clench your fists against those who are supposedly guilty,” said Glettler.
In a “five-finger sermon,” the Innsbruck bishop then went through the individual fingers and their meaning for a hopeful start to the new year. The thumb (“thumbs up!”) is a sign of strengthening the good “despite all the whining.” The pointing index finger, in turn, shows the way in a time of rampant disorientation. As is well known, the middle finger remains “ambiguous,” said Glettler, referring to the possibility of showing the “stink finger.” The ring finger symbolizes “living relationships”, reliability and loyalty.
Glettler: “And last, but not least, the little finger: Hope doesn’t begin with big words. It grows slowly, matures. We should therefore notice the small, the inconspicuous in everyday life. Life becomes hopeless if we only focus on the mega -Events and not recognizing normal, calm life in its dignity. The many small signs and gestures of humanity can change everything. “Jesus also started small in the manger.”
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