Last September, the Catholics in Austria had been honored by the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. It was a rather difficult stay for the Holy Father, as far as weather-conditions were concerned. But in fact, it was a great experience for everybody involved.
Pope Benedict marked his official trip to Austria a pilgrimage. He just wanted to be one of the thousands of pilgrims to the Alma Mater Austriae of Mariazell. Although Pope John Paul II, (who was travelling a lot, as you know), had come to Austria three times (1983, 1988, 1989), the visitation of Benedict was something special. Josef Ratzinger had been born in Bavaria, Germany, very close to the Austrian border, and as a young man he had spent some weeks during the Second World War in Zurndorf near Neusiedl am See. His relationships to Austria were always very close. Even when he had started his episcopal career in the Vatican of Rome, he was informed about all interna of the Catholic Church in Austria. That is why he, as a Pope now, declared Austria as a sort of “Heimat”.
Pope Benedict arrived Friday, September 7th at the airport of Schwechat near Vienna. The visitation´s schedule was filled. After a public prayer “Am Hof” right in the center of Vienna, the Holy Father was brought to the Judenplatz to a silent commemoration of the victims of Nazi Holocaust.
During his stay in Vienna, Pope Benedict used the well-known “papamobile”, a small vehicle with bullet-proof panes. In the evening he met the Federal President of Austria, Dr. Heinz Fischer, and the members of the government.
Next day, the Holy Father was supposed to be flown to Mariazell in the north of Styria by helicopter. In fact, the cloudy and rainy weather was so bad, that the pilots were not allowed to start the engines. So Pope Benedict had to use a car. He really turned out as one of thousands of pilgrims to Mariazell…
Those who attended the Holy Service there, celebrated by the Holy Father and the bishops of all dioceses of Austria, were deeply impressed, in spite of the atrocious weather. After having meal with the episcopal circle, Pope Benedict again held a speech to the people.
On Sunday, the Holy Father was celebrating the Holy Service in the Stephansdom in Vienna. In the afternoon, he went to the monastery of Heiligenkreuz near Vienna, were a theological university has been established. He was welcomed by the local patres and again held a very interesting speech. After that Pope Benedict finished his visit to Austria when he first met voluntarees who are working in social fields, before he was brought to Schwechat to board the plane to Rome.
It´s amazing, how much work the 80-years-old man is still able to do. The schedule of the trip was strenuous. But he knows, as much as John Paul II knew, that it is important to visit the Catholics in their home countries. The Holy Father has to be informed by the situation and the problems of catholicism. As long as he is healthy enough, Pope Benedict XVI indefatigablely will travel around the world.
Let´s hope that he will come to Austria again. The local Catholic Church is looking forward to a new visit of the Holy Father.

Walter Dujmovits, jun.