“Bringing the Gospel to man”: the questions posed by the international Congress on the new evangelization and the great city mission to be held in Vienna from 23 May to 1 June may be satisfied by this simple reply. So said Cardinal Cristoph Schönborn, archbishop of Vienna, during the press conference to present the mission in Vienna. In recalling that the diffusion of Christianity in antiquity started out from the cities, Schönborn declared that “today too we are observing a reversal of trend as far as religion is concerned in many European metropolises” and that “the cities represent a melting-pot, where new ideas are being hatched”. The idea of the city mission has been adopted by four major European capitals, Paris, Lisbon, Brussels and Vienna, from where it will start out this year. The plan for the mission has been jointly developed by the Emmanuel movement and by Catholic Action in Vienna. Many specific events will form part of its programme. Participants are expected from the USA, Brazil, Australia and central Europe. Otto Neubarer, of the Emmanuel Community, says that the Congress “must not become a mega-event”. What will be “decisive, rather, will be the meetings between individuals that will lead to a true meeting with Christ”. According to Martin Wiesenauer of Catholic Action, “something new and courageous will begin in many parishes. Christians will dare to express their faith in public, they’ll take to the streets and speak with everyone”.
