Child and youth pastoral care
The mission and charisma of the Order of the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star are strongly influenced by the personality of St. Agnes of Bohemia (1211–1282). In 1231, she founded a hospital in Prague, which was initially run by lay brothers. Hospitals in the Middle Ages were not only places of physical care and healing, but also of spiritual salvation.
Not only the sick were taken in and cared for here, but also the poor, the homeless and pilgrims. Accordingly, charitable love has always been of great spiritual importance to the Knights of the Cross as a concrete expression of God’s love for humanity, which should be manifested in everyday life.
The calling of the Brothers of the Cross to St. Charles’ Church in 1733 is also closely linked to this self-image. Recent events show us that the spirituality of the Brothers of the Cross and their mission at St. Charles’ Church have by no means lost their relevance. On the contrary, the challenges of our time – whether coronavirus, war or the energy crisis – have led to many people feeling increasingly insecure and searching for stability and guidance. The Order of the Holy Cross at the Karlskirche (St. Charles’s Church) in Vienna is there especially for these people.
Since the coronavirus crisis in particular, Karlsplatz (Charles Square) and Karlskirche (St Charles’s Church) have become one of the most important consumer-free meeting places in Vienna. In the warmer months, thousands of people gather here to enjoy the beauty of this special place. Among them are many young people, not least because of the nearby Vienna University of Technology. As the Kreuzherren (Order of the Holy Cross) is committed to bringing their fellow human beings closer to God’s love through contemporary pastoral care, they have launched a range of services and support collaborations aimed specifically at young people.
These include initiatives such as
Open Church in the evening
Open Church Sounds
Children’s carnival for young families
Living nativity scene during Advent
but also actively supporting youth-oriented associations such as
Girl Scout Group 2 ‘Hemma von Gurk’
Boy Scout Group 41 ‘St. Karl’
Czech and Slovak Student Association in Vienna
Marjánka Dance, Music & Language Association
Do you have any questions about our work in the area of youth pastoral care? Do you have ideas about new opportunities for cooperation or how we can further expand our youth work? You are welcome to contact us at office@kreuzherren.at.