Pope Leo appoints priest who expressed support for ‘women’s ordination’ as archbishop of Vienna

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Pope Leo appoints priest who expressed support for ‘women’s ordination’ as archbishop of Vienna
The Holy See announced today that Pope Leo appointed Msgr. Josef Grünwidl, who belonged to a group that promoted ‘women’s ordination’ and giving Holy Communion to non-Catholics.



Pope Leo XIV
Franco Origlia/Getty Images

Oct 17, 2025
VIENNA (LifeSiteNews [slightly adapted - not all hyperlinks included from original]) — Pope Leo XIV has officially appointed modernist Msgr. Josef Grünwidl as new archbishop of Vienna.

In an October 17 publication from the press office of the Holy See, the Vatican announced Pope Leo XIV”s appointment of 63-year-old Josef Grünwidl, known for his heterodox activism, as archbishop of Vienna.

“The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Josef Grünwidl, until now apostolic administrator of the same archdiocese, as metropolitan archbishop of Wien, Austria,” the announcement read.

LifeSiteNews’ John-Henry Westen responded to the appointment, voicing concern over Grünwidl’s modernist positions which contradict centuries of Catholic doctrine.

“It’s official: Pope Leo has appointed an ultra-liberal who pushed women’s ordination and communion for non-Catholics as the Archbishop of Vienna Austria,” Westen posted on X. During his time as a priest, Grünwidl has become known for his modernist stances, which includes encouragement of “female ordination” and attempts to decentralize authority within the Church as part of the leftist push for “synodality.”

He has publicly called for an “urgent need for clarification” on the “ordination” of women, specifically supporting further discussion and potential implementation of a “female diaconate.” He has also expressed openness to admitting women to the College of Cardinals and has appointed three women to the diocesan leadership team in Vienna.

Furthermore, the ORF reports that Grünwidl belonged to a heterodox group titled “Call to Disobedience” that openly pushed for “ordaining” women and married men as priests and giving Holy Communion to the divorced and “remarried” and non-Catholics, among other things, through a flagrant “call to disobedience.”

Grünwidl’s activism is in direct contradiction to the teachings of the Catholic Church, which reserves the vocation of priesthood to “baptized men.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that the Church is bound by Christ’s decision to ordain men to the priesthood and “for this reason the ordination of women is not possible.”

In another dissent from Church teaching, Grünwidl has previously stated that while he chose to remain celibate as a priest, the practice is “not a matter of faith” and should be left to the discretion of individual clergy.

At the same time, the Catechism clearly states that “all the ordained ministers of the Latin Church, with the exception of permanent deacons, are normally chosen from among men of faith who live a celibate life and who intend to remain celibate ‘for the sake of the kingdom of heaven’ and to devote themselves entirely to the service of God and the service of others.”

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Leo XIV Appoints Vienna Archbishop Who Called [for] Disobedience. And: "Why Should Women Not Kiss the Altar?"

gloria.tv | October 17, 2025

Rev Josef Grünwidl, 62, is the next Archbishop of Vienna, multiple Austrian outlets report today. He is expected to be officially announced by Pope Leo XIV within the next few days. He was a member of the notorious 'Priests' Initiative' that luanched in 2011 a "Call to Disobedience" to Church laws.

Pictured is Grünwidl at an outdoor school Eucharist in 2023.


Early life and ministry

Josef Grünwidl was born on 31 January 1963 in Hollabrunn, Lower Austria. Originally dreaming of becoming a musician, he studied organ before discerning a vocation to the priesthood. He was ordained a priest on 29 June 1988 in St Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna, by Cardinal Franz König.

From 1995 to 1998, he served as personal secretary to Archbishop Christoph Schönborn.


The 'Invasion of Doves'

For Pentecost in 2019, Rev Grünwidl created an installation in the parish church of Perchtoldsdorf that resembled something a child might create.

He filled the large Gothic church with over a thousand white paper doves suspended from the ceiling, describing it as "a sign that the Spirit cannot be domesticated".


Recent Roles

In 2023, Cardinal Schönborn appointed him Episcopal Vicar for the Southern Vicariate of the Archdiocese of Vienna.

Following Schönborn's resignation in January 2025, Pope Francis appointed Grünwidl as Apostolic Administrator.

He has often remarked that he prefers being a parish priest to being an archbishop.


Calling for Disobedience to Church Law

As the parish priest of Kirchberg am Wechsel, Josef Grünwidl joined the anti-Catholic 'Pfarrerinitiative' (Priests' Initiative). In 2011, the initiative launched a 'Call to Disobedience'. They declared to disobey Church law by allowing women to preach and lead liturgies. Furthermore, they announced to hand Holy Communion to adulterers.

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn reprimanded Grünwidl for his involvement with the initiative.


Wants of Married Priests

In several interviews in 2025, Rev Grünwidl has criticised celibacy. "The celibate way of life will always have its place in the Church, but it should be voluntary, not obligatory. That would be my approach to this issue."

During an interview on 19 April, he expressed agreement with the then newly appointed Auxiliary Bishop Johannes Freitag of Graz [whose secretary lives in a homosexual 'marriage']. "I do not see why it should be necessary to live celibately in order to be a priest," Grünwidl said. Orthodox and Protestant communities demonstrate that it is entirely possible to carry out pastoral ministry with a family.

On 6 October, he reiterated: "Celibacy should not be a prerequisite for the priesthood but rather a freely chosen spiritual way of life."


He also Favors Female Ordination

Regarding the ordination of women, Grünwidl has said that "the discussion about the female diaconate must not be suppressed".

He has also expressed sympathy for proposals to include women in the College of Cardinals.

In his homily at St Stephen’s Cathedral on 26 September for, Grünwidl concluded by reading a poem by Andreas Knapp to highlight the question of women’s roles in the Church.

If a woman has given birth to the eternal Word of God,
Why should she not proclaim that Word from the pulpit?
If a woman kissed the feet of Jesus,
Why should women not be able to kiss the altar?
If a woman went before the disciples as an apostle,
why should they not also be called to follow in the apostolic ministry?


Music, Nature and 'Hours in a Chapel'

Grünwidl said that music and experiences of nature are "a way to God" for him. He added, "The number of pilgrimages I make or the number of hours I spend in a chapel does not show whether I am a spiritual person."


Support from the Wrong Side

Anti-Catholic Viennese theologians Rev. Paul Zulehner (85) and Regina Polak applauded the expected appointment of Grünwidl today.

In 2016, Grünwidl's praiser Polak wrote: 'The idea of God becoming human is heretical — a belief that differs from what is attested in the Bible. Neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament mentions God becoming human."