The theologian is thus taking over a newly established office. Normally, auxiliary bishops or members of the cathedral chapter are appointed as episcopal vicars. They are to represent the bishop in a specific area or area of responsibility.
The canon law of the Catholic Church (Codex iuris Canonici) states: "The vicar general and the episcopal vicar must be priests, not younger than thirty years of age, doctors or licentiates in canon law or theology or at least truly experienced in these disciplines, characterised by orthodoxy, integrity, prudence and practical administrative experience."
In a statement issued by the diocese on Wednesday, Marketz explained that the establishment of the new office and the appointment of Velik-Frank were "not only important steps on the synodal path, but above all also concrete realisations of the strengthening of the laity and women in particular called for by Pope Francis".
The episcopal decree establishing the new office emphasises the "continuation and implementation of the guidelines and impulses from the synodal church development process of the diocese of Gurk".
It is based on a note by Pope Francis on the final document of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which states "that synodality is the appropriate interpretative framework for the hierarchical ministry".
Restructuring the church in Carinthia
Velik-Frank, who has already been coordinating the diocesan church development process for three years, has "the executive chairmanship in the project management of the church development process and in the associated and subordinate working and project groups" as Episcopal Vicar, according to the decree.
As a laywoman appointed by the bishop, she is subject to the authority of the bishop as her line manager and the vicar general as her superior in terms of employment law.
In her role as Episcopal Vicar, she will also be a member of the Consistory Board, the Ordinariate Conference and the boards of the Diocesan Council and the Deans' Conference. She is currently Managing Director of ARGE Gemeindeberatung und Organisationsentwicklung.
The doctor of theology herself spoke of a "special recognition and also a further sign of more leadership responsibility for women in the church". For her, it is not necessarily about structural changes, but about "finding compromises, struggling for solutions and sometimes persevering in the tension of inconsistency".
Born in 1968, Velik-Frank studied Catholic theology and religious education. She worked for many years in international development cooperation.
Since 2014, she has been active in various pastoral areas of the diocese, most recently as spiritual assistant to the Austrian Catholic Women's Movement and head of training for parish pastoral workers.