During their Plenary Assemblies, the Conference of Major Superiors and the Association of women religious orders in Austria have decided by a majority well above the two-thirds of votes to “walk together”. “The Conference of Major Superiors and the Association of women religious orders will be united into a single Conference of religious”. The mandate for the drafting of new statutes of a single Conference has been given.
It is with a clear vote that the foundations for the implementation of a “common constitution” of men and women religious orders of Austria under the name of “Ordensgemeinschaften Österreich” (Religious Orders of Austria) have been laid.
This major decision for the future of the religious in Austria is the outcome of a consultation process which lasted more than one year. It is within different groups working on the background and regional groups that the milestones of the “common structure for the future” have been examined. The President of the male religious orders, Abbot Christian Haidinger, said on this subject: “Thanks for this vote which clearly demonstrates that we are willing to continue on the path of the structural development of the future in the spirit of a concerted agreement”. And the President of the women religious orders, Sr. Beatrix Mayrhofer: “This will be a new prophetic presence. Thanks for your great support and for walking together towards the future.”
