Archbishop Georg Ganswein ordained a member of the “Das Werke” spiritual congregation to the priesthood in Bregenz, Austria, over the weekend.
Father Marton Hirai (31 years old) of Győr, Hungary, has been serving as clinic chaplain in Vienna since Cardinal Peter Erdo of Budapest was ordained deacon in June 2022, the Austrian religious communities and “Das Werke” announced on Monday.
Freiburg, Vaduz or Costa Rica?
He put Archbishop Gänswein, longtime private secretary to Pope Benedict XVI. (1927-2022), still unclear. A few weeks ago, Pope Francis decided “temporarily” (“per moment”) that the 66-year-old should return to his home diocese of Freiburg.
The diocese has since confirmed that he will live in a rented flat on the estate. Some observers consider the “temporary” an indication that it could just be a stop.
The bishop from Riedern am Wald in Baden has been Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger / Pope Benedict XVI for over 20 years. Servants. Therefore, it was speculated, among other things, that Pope Francis could offer him a position in the diplomatic service – for example as a papal nuncio in Costa Rica.
An appointment has also been discussed at the bishop’s seat in Vaduz/Liechtenstein, as the bishop there must tender his resignation this summer due to age. So far nothing has been confirmed.
“The Work”: Suspected 2014 sexual assault
The spiritual community “Work” was founded in 1938 and recognized by the Pope in 2001 as a “family of consecrated life”. It consists of a community of priests, including deacons, seminarians, and laity, and a community of women. In 2014, Work made headlines due to allegations of sexual assault. This was followed by a visit to the Vatican, which, among other things, demanded the creation of a general chapter in favor of transparent leadership. (KNA)
