Archbishop Josef Gr Nwidl

Fr Joachim Heimerl says Archbishop Josef Grünwidl of Vienna has imposed a “publication ban” on him under threat of suspension. In an interview with Stilum Curiae, the Austrian priest discusses the dispute, his understanding of priestly obedience, and why he believes the measure has no legal basis Fr Joachim Heimerl, a priest of the Archdiocese of Vienna, has said that Archbishop Josef Grünwidl has imposed a “publication ban” on him. In an interview with Marco Tosatti’s blog Stilum Curiae , the priest said the Archbishop sent “some letters that were not very friendly”. He said a recent letter informed him of a “publication ban” and warned that, if he did not comply, there would be “sanctions” that could even extend to “suspension”. Fr Joachim Heimerl is a well-known Austrian priest who was ordained for the Archdiocese of Vienna in 2019. Before his ordination, he was a scholar of German studies and published a variety of works. Upon entering the priesthood, he initially planned to serve in a purely pastoral role. Having experienced serious health problems himself, he believed his vocation was to serve other sick people “as a sick priest”, he explains. However, as his health further deteriorated, he was forced to withdraw from pastoral ministry. Since then, he says, his role as a priest “has been limited to prayer and Holy Mass”, which he celebrates exclusively in private in his home chapel. From this isolation, Fr Heimerl began writing for various Catholic outlets, including Die Tagespost and kath.net . Initially, his articles focused more on cultural commentary, and he cites his tribute to the opera singer Maria Callas as his finest piece. He subsequently turned his attention to the state of the modern Church. Since early 2024, he has written columns for LifeSite that have proved particularly contentious. In November 2024, he published an article entitled Pope Francis leads a ‘magisterium of lies and heresy’ with his ‘Pseudo Synod’ , followed in January 2025 by From the ashes of the ‘Bergoglian church’ the Catholic Church will rise again . Fr Heimerl describes his writing as “my form of pastoral care and preaching”, which remains a “solitary activity”. He believes Archbishop Grünwidl wants to make an example of him because of his “presence in the media”. He said he wrote to the Archbishop to explain that “nowadays it is quite common to impose ‘bans’ on those who profess the faith of the Church, while critics of celibacy and heretics remain undisturbed and can express themselves as they see fit.” He further argues that the Archbishop’s sanction “has no solid foundation and would therefore be legally worthless”, adding that “no one has the right to limit freedom of expression, not even an archbishop”. When questioned about the obedience he promised to his bishop at ordination, Fr Heimerl disputes that understanding of obedience, saying that “the obedience that every priest promises at the moment of ordination is owed solely to Christ and the Church”, which he believes he has “always adhered to”. He also argues that “obedience is never a sort of ‘counterpart’ to fundamental rights” and that, if it were used to limit his “constitutionally guaranteed individual rights”, it could become “what is commonly termed ‘spiritual abuse’.” It is not clear which constitution the priest is referring to. However, the matter may resolve itself naturally, as the priest explains that he has “been thinking about bidding farewell to my readers for some time” because his “health is not improving”. He does, however, say there are still some topics he would like to cover, including a reflection on the Holy Mass and something on the theme of Our Lady as Mediatrix of All Graces.