The Petrus Canisius Church in Innsbruck, Austria, is set to be partially converted into a climbing hall, according to a letter from Bishop Hermann Glettler to the parish
The project, titled “Train your body & soul,” aims to make the church space more accessible and appealing to a wider audience.
Planned changes include
- The church pews will be removed and replaced with freestanding wall objects for bouldering, a form of rope-free climbing.
- The altar area will be preserved for liturgical celebrations.
- The ground floor will be redesigned to accommodate a reception area, gastronomy, changing rooms, and a children’s adventure area, which the climbing facility manager will operate.
- The chapel will remain accessible at all times, and a “youth service” will be held in the main church space on Sunday evenings.
Motivations and expectations
Bishop Glettler hopes this project will benefit all parties involved.
He believes it will make faith accessible to people who would otherwise never come into contact with the church.
The bishop envisions Petrus Canisius becoming “an open, friendly place for encounters with the church” where “all climbing and fitness enthusiasts who use the church space in their own way can also come to rest and spiritually recharge at this Christian site”.
The changes are part of a larger reorganization involving the merger of the Petrus Canisius and Good Shepherd parishes. The church building, constructed between 1968 and 1972, is dedicated to St. Peter Canisius and is under monument protection.
This unconventional use of sacred space has sparked discussion about the appropriate use of church buildings and the balance between pastoral and economic considerations in church management[2].
Source
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