Our vision is people who are led by God's spirit.

Pentecost is the experience of God's spirit. We define our Christian aim as a process of growing into a life filled with God's spirit.

We try daily to create space for God's spirit. In this way we can become open and trust that we can meet new challenges.

We foster small communities in which life and faith are shared.

Our vision is people who show solidarity.

We live in a time of great change. In many fields of our society solidarity is threatened. We are confronted with the challenge of reflecting on our doings and to grow in solidarity.

Our motto is, " The more spirituality, the more solidarity." We try to live the unity of spirituality and solidarity

We are committed to different solidarity initiatives

Our vision is a church that speaks a new language.

The miracle of pentecost was that people were able to understand the apostles each in their own languages. We are looking for such a "new language" that people nowadays understand.

While trying to find such a language, we have already launched the "Weizer Pfingstereignis" (Pentecost Event in Weiz), the "Spiritueller Weg" (Spiritual Path) and various encounters with art. With the same aim we would like to transform the Weizberg, the location of these events, into a spiritual centre.

We are an ecumenically oriented community. We look for ways to renew our church. We regard ourselves as an "offensive midway" in the midst of inner church reforms.

The Development of our Movement

The conception of our movement was a communal vision. This vision was stated for the first time at Pentecost in 1989 by young people from Weiz, in their musical about Martin Luther King. It was a vision of a renewal of our church. This was the beginning of a shared path. Every year since then young people have met in Weiz at Pentecost. Meditation days for young people have been the spiritual basis. With the solidarity commitment of the young people, the groups "Axe" and "Christina lebt" have been founded. At Pentecost 1995 this vision was written down in 10 points, which has become known as the "Weizer Pfingstvision" (Pentecost Vision) outside of Weiz. Cardinal Dr. Franz König was the first one to sign. At the same time more and more adults were becoming involved in the realization of this vision. The result of these youth gatherings was the "Weizer Pfingstereignis" (Pentecost Event in Weiz) with a varied cultural-spiritual-solidarity programme. Pastoral seminars now formed the spiritual basis of this movement. The well-known theologian Dr. Paul M. Zulehner became an important companion for our movement. Famous people like P. Henri Boulad, P. Iswar Prasad or Sr. Ishpriya also provided important impulses. In 2001 the Spiritual Path was created in Weiz, as a big common project. In the course of time, the encounter with modern art has become another feature of our movement. In 2003 a Pentecost Symposium for leaders took place for the first time. We envision our movement as an open one in a dynamic environment.

We are a community of people who lead their lives according to Christian teachings. We are led by the vision of a new Pentecost.
Our vision is people who are led by the Holy Spirit
Our vision is people who show solidarity
Our vision is a church as a community that speaks a new language
Our logo is the Tau, which is a biblical symbol of salvation. Francis of Assisi used it 800 years ago as a sign of identification for his movement, which started with a vision. For us it symbolizes our motto, "The more spiritual, the more solidarity."

We live at a time of profound changes. Our church also finds itself in a position of epochal transitions. We face the challenge of rethinking and reshaping the present. Our vision of a "New Pentecost" gives us orientation as we face this challenge.

Pentecost is the experience of God's renewing spirit. Pentecost is a sign of God's benevolence towards humanity, which is a present that can neither be predicted nor organized. It is a renewal, an awakening from inside. Pentecost can also be seen as the creative power of God that becomes visible through mankind's doings as well as a personal-spiritual process of growing into a life in the Holy Spirit. In Christian tradition, Pentecost is the 50th day after Easter. It is the completion of Easter: something completely new is beginning. In this sense Pentecost is the beginning of a new person and hence the beginning of a new humanity.

The term "New Pentecost" comes from Pope John Paul XXIII. He associated it with the hope that a "New Pentecost" would begin with the Second Vatican Council. In his Pentecost sermon in Weiz, cardinal Dr. Franz König stated, "I expect a new Pentecost from your meetings in Weiz." The hope is alive. It lives in every one of us. If we daily create space for the Holy Spirit, we will be open and will be able to engage trustingly in new ventures. The miracle of Pentecost was that people from different nations and speaking different languages were able to understand the apostles each in their own languages and thus found a way to God. We are looking for this "new language," so that people nowadays may understand us. Only if our doings reflect our spirit, will our words be believable. The variety of different languages can then become a blessing.

In an age of exact figures and balance sheets as well as fragile biographies, we believe in the experience of an ever increasing mystery of God. In accordance with the theologian Karl Rahner, we believe that "the Christian of the future will be a mystic. Someone who has either experienced something, or he will cease to exist." The future of the church will be spiritual people who have deliberately decided to live as Christians because of a mystic experience.

The Pentecost Vision is based on the principle of the unity of spirituality and solidarity. "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40) Thus our motto is: "The more spiritual, the more solidarity." In biblical terms we regard ourselves as light and salt of the world, that is to say, we want to create and maintain the quality of life for others and we want to remedy abuses.

The Pentecost Vision is an ecumenically oriented movement. We are trying to enrich the life of our Catholic and Protestant parishes. We see the structure of the parish and the congregation as an important basis of our work. In our parish in Weiz, we launched the initiative of a Parish Council. We don't limit our work to the region of Weiz alone, but we want to spread the spirit of the Pentecost vision outside of Weiz as well. We regard ourselves as an "offensive midway" in the midst of inner church reforms. We focus more on commitment rather than on words.

The beginning of our movement was strongly shaped by young people. Many initiatives and ideas continue to be developed by the enthusiasm of young people.

We respect contemporary art as an unprotected and thus ever more truthful form of a creative perception of our world and our time. The encounter with art is part of our endeavours to find a new language. Art creates more concentrated, not ordinary spaces in which humans can find a way to their true identity and to others. Hence, art is related to spirituality.

In their fields of work leaders are important focal points and "mulitpliers" of relevant possibilities for the future. The Pentecost Vision also aims at a social renewal. Therefore, leaders are important dialogue partners. Leaders' cross-linked ideas can offer great and renewing input. Our Pentecost Symposium initiative is based on this conviction.

The Pentecost Vision relies on the freedom and responsibility of each individual person. First, it is necessary to live one's Christian identity in one's own social environment. Spirituality must show itself in everyday life. Every person shapes the Pentecost Vision with her/his unique and special gifts. The purpose of the Pentecost is not primarily to organize something; the "being" is more important than the "doing".

♦ We take over various tasks in the different parishes and congregations.

♦ We hold pastoral seminars to provide spiritual experience for the people.

♦ We organize spiritual exercises, spiritual seminars and journeys to Assisi, Rome and Benares.

♦ We tend the Spiritual Path in Weiz.

♦ We support the association "Christina lebt" and are involved in the integration and home care of handicapped people in around Weiz.

♦ In the group "Axe" we support Weiz's former chaplain Günther Zgubic who is now responsible for the pastoral care in Brazil's prisons.

♦ We organize and arrange the annual Pentecost Event in Weiz.

♦ We are in constant contact with artists and integrate art into our work.

♦ We foster small communities in which faith and life are shared.

We deliberately have a very open and free structure. There is no membership; everyone that shares our vision of a new Pentecost can join us for prayer and commitment. Our movement is led by the "Team 7" which meets monthly. All groups, initiatives and teams that take part in the Pentecost Vision are represented in the so-called "Circle 30".

Our Organisation
The Weiz Pentecost Vision is run collectively, trusting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18,20)

"Conciliar Night": Everyone who feels spiritually connected with the Pentecost Vision has the possibility to participate in the "Conciliar Night." Goals of this night are making connections, acquiring a deeper spiritual understanding and seeking the right way in life together. Other characteristics of this night are openness and diversity.

Circle 30: All of the groups and initiatives of the Pentecost Vision as well as the Catholic and the Protestant parish priests are represented in this group. This circle of leaders meets five times a year and consists of approx. 30 members. Membership changes are decided amicably within the Circle 30.

Team 7: It consists of 12 people, approx. the same number of men as women, who meet each other once a month. As the team in charge, it is responsible for overseeing the organisation of the Pentecost Vision. Membership changes are made amicably within the team.

Supervisor and Coordinator: She/He is appointed to this position by the Bishop. She/He contributes her/his formation and leadership abilities to this office. Through her/him - approved by the Bishop - it is ensured that the movement is embedded in the local parish.

♦ We want to form our social and personal lives out of a spiritual relationship to God.

♦ We want to talk about our spiritual experiences.

♦ We want to support minorities, outsiders and disadvantaged people.

♦ We want to look for an active correlation between different groups of our society.

♦ We want to find ways to "live" church under today's circumstances.

♦ We want to build up the church of the future.

♦ We want to have courage for new things.

♦ We want to play a part in spreading the Gospel.

♦ We want to appeal to people in many different ways.

♦ We want to appreciate the value of diversity.

♦ We want to invite people to join the way of the Pentecost Vision.

1. We increasingly invite from outside of Weiz to the Pentecost Event in Weiz.
2. We promote the Spiritual Path as a modern path for pilgrims.
3. We help to develop the Weizberg into a spiritual centre.
4. We bring the spirit of renewal to our church.
5. We integrate the spirit of solidarity into our society.