Carlo Cincavalli: Unique candidate for ordination in Cologne celebrates ordination!

Carlo Cincavalli: Unique candidate for ordination in Cologne celebrates ordination!

June 26, 2025 is a special day for the Archdiocese of Cologne. Carlo Cincavalli, after twelve years of intensive preparation, is ordained a priest. His emotions fluctuate between tension, gratitude and anticipation. Born in Baresi, he trained at the Redemptoris Mater Archbishop's Seminary in Bonn, where he gained not only theoretical knowledge but also a deep, personal experience of faith. Cincavalli describes the move to Bonn as a culture shock, but he quickly found himself in the community Neocatechumenal Way a new family.

His career was not always easy. Growing up without a father, Cincavalli had to take responsibility and make his own decisions at an early age. In the seminar he learned to put his own self aside and to place the search for Jesus Christ at the center of his life. He is highlighted as the only candidate for ordination to the priesthood in the Archdiocese of Cologne in 2025. This shows how valuable his path and his calling are.

Experiences in word and deed

In his career so far, Cincavalli has carried out missionary assignments in Tanzania and Chemnitz. In Tanzania he encountered a simple life that, although without luxury, was characterized by a deep joy of life. In Chemnitz the reception was mixed; On the one hand, he experienced skepticism towards the church, but also found openness and friendliness. Since September 2023, he has been working as an intern and deacon in the parish of St. Andreas in Leverkusen and has helped design the “Pilgrims of Hope” project, which deals with spiritual movements and encounters.

Cincavalli sees the church's main task as providing hope and listening. He believes that the true mission is not to be a press spokesman for the church, but to proclaim the gospel. Another important aspect of his vocation is the close connection to the Madonna of Lourdes, who always accompanied and motivated him. After his ordination, he is planning a thank you visit to Lourdes.

The Neocatechumenal Way

The Neocatechumenal Way is a major movement within the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1964 by Kiko Argüello, Carmen Hernández and Mario Pezzi. This group has developed a special catechumenate that focuses on the (re)introduction of baptized adults to the Christian faith. Members of this path, also known as Neos, meet in small communities that aim to live evangelized and spiritual lives. They promote the rediscovery of Christian values ​​and strengthen the community through the exchange of experiences.

The successes accumulated to date bear witness to the impressive spread of the Neocatechumenal Way, which now counts more than 20,000 communities worldwide and has founded numerous seminaries, including the first Redemptoris Mater seminary in Rome, which exclusively trains seminarians of the Neocatechumenal Way. Pope Francis has repeatedly acknowledged and supported the movements and missionary work of these communities.

Cincavalli summarizes his message to people simply and clearly: “Faith is the heart of life.” He also points out that priests should have humanity, humor and the ability to listen in order to fulfill their role. This attitude will certainly also be part of his priestly ministry, which he will soon begin.

With a view to his upcoming priestly ordination and all the experiences that have shaped him, Carlo Cincavalli is facing a significant journey that will not only change his own life, but could also enrich the lives of many people.