Caritas opens parishes as cooling community spaces

Parishes in Lower Austria are offering free cooling spaces and drinks to people seeking relief from the heat, ORF reported on Thursday. The Caritas project, known as Climate Oases, allows visitors to drop in without registering, cool down and meet others.

The courtyard of Neukloster monastery in Wiener Neustadt district is noticeably cooler than the surrounding streets. Birgit Gumpinger, the project coordinator there, said the cloister was around 10 degrees cooler than outside.

Caritas invites people to gather in the cool rooms of parishes and churches. Some visitors live in small, overheated flats and cannot afford to visit a public swimming pool or a café, Gumpinger said. The Climate Oases therefore also provide cold drinks free of charge.

The project is intended to offer more than shelter from the heat, Caritas director Klaus Schwertner said. It also provides community, social contact and someone to listen. Visitors said they appreciated being welcomed and meeting like minded people.

No registration is required, creating an easily accessible service. Some people attend regularly, while the gatherings remain informal, Gumpinger said.

In Lower Austria, Climate Oases are currently available in the Weinviertel and Industrieviertel regions. They include the parishes of Paasdorf and Katzelsdorf in Mistelbach district, Ziersdorf in Hollabrunn district, Rannersdorf and Leopoldsdorf in Bruck an der Leitha district, Gaaden in Mödling district, and Mödling, as well as Neukloster monastery. Vienna also has numerous offers.

Demand is increasing, and new parishes are joining each year, Gumpinger said. The project relies on volunteers, however, and finding enough helpers during hot weather is not always easy. Donations are also needed to provide drinks and food.