Bishop Stephan Turnovszky, auxiliary bishop of Vienna

From chemist to priest

Stephan Turnovszky was born on 21 June 1964 in Lucerne/Switzerland. After graduating from high school, he studied technical chemistry at the Technical University in Vienna. In childhood and youth he was active in the parish of Döbling-St. Paul.

After graduating, Stephan Turnovszky worked in the field of "Research & Development" for over two years until he followed his vocation to the priesthood and entered the Vienna Seminary in 1992.

He spent his external year in Toulouse/France in 1993/94. In 1997, Bishop Helmut Krätzl ordained him a deacon. After his year as a deacon in the parish of Perchtoldsdorf, he was ordained priest by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn in St. Stephen's Cathedral on 29 June 1998.

For the first two years of his priesthood he was chaplain in the parish of Jedlesee in Vienna-Floridsdorf. Afterwards he was in charge of the two parishes of Großmugl and Herzogbirbaum in the Stockerau deanery for five years. From September 2005 he was parish priest of St. Josef in Baden-Leesdorf.

Auxiliary Bishop and Episcopal Vicar

On 6 March 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Stephan Turnovszky auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Vienna and titular bishop of Ancusa, a first millennium episcopal see in present-day Tunisia. On Whit Monday, 12 May 2008, he was consecrated bishop by Cardinal Schönborn.

Since the summer plenary meeting of the Austrian Bishops' Conference from 17 to 18 June 2009 in Mariazell, Stephan Turnovszky has been Austria's "youth bishop". In addition to the department for children's and youth pastoral care, the topic of religious movements (incl. Charismatic Renewal) is currently also part of his area of responsibility.

On 1 September 2012, Auxiliary Bishop Stephan Turnovszky took over the agendas as Episcopal Vicar in the Vicariate Unter dem Manhartsberg.