English – Redemptoris Mater Wien

A seminary of the Archdiocese of Vienna
that for over 25 years
has been forming missionaries for the New Evangelisation
of Europe and the whole world.

Info

The 'Redemptoris Mater' Seminaries

The ‘Redemptoris Mater’ seminaries were born out of the experience of the Neocatechumenal Way and are a fruit of the renewal of the Church initiated by the Second Vatican Council. They are diocesan seminaries and their goal is to form priests ready to participate in the universal mission of the Church.

The priests formed in these seminaries are ready to go not only to those parts of the world where the Word of God has not yet been proclaimed, but also where believers run the risk of drifting away or even of losing their faith due to the lack of priests.

These Seminaries put special emphasis on the formation of priests that have zeal for the ministry of the Word of God, the Liturgy and the promotion of Christian life. The universal mission of the Church is at the heart of their pastoral concern.

The Redemptoris Mater seminaries are international; the candidates come from different countries worldwide.

In 1987 the first Redemptoris Mater seminary was established in Rome; since then many bishops all over the world have established similar seminaries (e.g., in Medellin Colombia, Warsaw Poland, Callao Peru, Newark USA, Brasilia BRAZIL, Macerata ITALY, Madrid SPAIN, Lugano SWITZERLAND, Pula CROATIA, Bangalore INDIA, Perth AUSTRALIA, Berlin GERMANY, Haarlem NETHERLANDS, Copenhagen DENMARK, Douala CAMEROUN, Kaohsiung TAIWAN,…).

The Missionary Seminary 'Redemptoris Mater' in Vienna

His Eminence Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna founded the diocesan missionary seminary Redemptoris Mater on October 1, 1995 to form priests for the mission worldwide.

The priests formed at the ‘Redemptoris Mater’ Seminary will first minister for a period of years at the Archdiocese of Vienna. Thereafter, the Archbishop of Vienna can send them to other dioceses and countries, where there is a need of priests.

Some of the priests who studied at the ‘Redemptoris Mater’ of Vienna are already in mission in different countries worldwide.

All seminarians of this Seminary – as well as those in the other Redemptoris Mater seminaries around the world – discovered their faith and vocation in their home parish through the Neocatechumenal Way, an itinerary of faith officially approved by the Holy See in 2008.

The living expenses of this seminary are mostly funded by donations.

News

Diaconal Ordination

On Saturday, April 27, in the Votive Church in Vienna, two seminarians from our seminary were ordained deacons together with four other candidates.

The ordination was administered by Auxiliary Bishop Stefan Turnovszky.

Photo: © Erzdiözese Wien/Schönlaub

Lectorate

During the Eucharist celebrated at the seminary on Feb. 29, 2024, His Excellency Most Reverend Klaus Küng conferred the ministry of the Lectorate on a seminarian.

Acolytate

His Excellency Archbishop Pedro López Quintana, Apostolic Nuncio in Austria, celebrated the Eucharist on Dec. 12, 2023, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and conferred the ministry of the Acolytate on three seminarians.

Cardinal Schönborn visits the seminary

On 31 October 2023, His Eminence Christoph Card. Schönborn visited the seminary. After the solemn first vespers on All Saints’ Day and dinner, there was a meeting in the ‘banqueting hall’. The main topic was the synod. The new seminarians were also able to introduce themselves to him.