The members of the Continental Coordination Group of the European Service of Communion CHARIS, at their meeting on 30 April 2026, appointed Fr. Jozef Mihok, CSsR, as the Ecclesial Assistant of CHARIS Europe.
The ecclesial assistant’s task is to oversee the spiritual dimension of the mission and activities of the European CHARIS service and its coordination group. He or she is the point of contact, when needed, for priests and consecrated persons. It is also their responsibility to seek ways to further involve priests in the mission of the CHARIS service in Europe and in building communio.
Father Jozef Mihok CSsR is the provincial of the Bratislava-Prague Province of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. He was the first coordinator of the CHARIS National Service in Slovakia and since September 2024 has been a member of the coordination team of the European CHARIS Service. He has participated in organizing and leading international schools of evangelization, creativity development schools, and leadership schools.
He is a member of international services approved by the Holy See (Association of Coordinators of Catholic Schools of Evangelization, Evangelization 2033). He frequently serves through prayer and proclamation not only in Slovakia but also abroad. In 2016, Pope Francis appointed him a Missionary of Mercy.
The international Catholic charismatic renewal service CHARIS was solemnly established by Pope Francis at Pentecost 2019. Pope Francis chose Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa as the first ecclesial assistant of the international communion service CHARIS. Currently, Bishop Peter Leslie Smith continues to serve as ecclesial assistant of the international CHARIS service.
The CHARIS service, established by the Holy See through the Dicastery for the Laity, Family, and Life, has been entrusted with fulfilling its mission primarily by spreading the baptism in the Holy Spirit throughout the Church, building the unity of the Body of Christ, and serving the poor. Each continent has its own service. It is composed of members of the international service representing that continent; the coordinator of each national service or their representative; three representatives of communities or community networks; and two young people under 35.
The CHARIS national service in Slovakia currently has 15 members; its coordinator is Fr. Juraj Ďurnek, SC, and its ecclesial assistant is Msgr. Marek Forgáč, Auxiliary Bishop of Košice.
Source: Press release of the Slovak Bishops’ Conference of May 5 this year (www.tkkbs.sk)
