Schönborn failed to act, abuse victim claims

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General News

The highest representative of the Roman Catholic Church in Austria has been accused of keeping quiet about a case of sexual abuse. A lawyer said yesterday (Mon) he will launch legal action against Viennese Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn. The advocate’s client explained she consulted Schönborn in 1994 to tell him of sexual abuse by a […]

Young Austrians shun church, study shows

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Lifestyle

One in two young Austrians never go to church, a new poll reveals.Public opinion agency Karmasin, who questioned 500 Austrians for the study published by magazine profil – found that 50 per cent of Austrians aged 30 and younger never attend Catholic masses. The firm’s research also shows that 35 per cent of all Austrians […]

Conservatives pleased about crucifix verdict

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General News

Crosses hung up in kindergartens are no “preference in favour of certain religions”, according to the Constitutional Court (VfGH).The federal panel announced in Vienna today (Weds) that kindergartens in Austria were not discriminating against other religious communities by displaying crucifixes at their facilities.The issue had to be dealt with by the VfGH after a Lower […]

Truck crashes into church

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General News

A 51-year-old tank lorry driver sustained serious injuries when he crashed against a church wall around midday today (Tues).The man was hospitalised in Horn after the incident in Untermarkersdorf in Lower Austria’s Hollabrunn district. Police, who plan to question the driver as soon as he recovers, are currently trying to find out whether a technical […]

Pensioner accused of defacing church wall

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General News

A pensioner faces charges for defacing the wall of a church, it has been announced.The 64-year-old man, who has a criminal record, is accused of smearing white paint on the outside wall of a Roman Catholic Chapel in his hometown Steinberg-Dörfl, according to police in Burgenland.The man, who denies the actions, previously accused police of […]

Schönborn calls for immigration law reform

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Politics

Viennese Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn has appealed to the Austrian government to reform the current immigration laws.The highest-ranking representative of the Roman Catholic Church in Austria said today (Tues): “It is not acceptable that families, who are fully integrated, who don’t financially burden anyone else, whose children know no other language than German with an […]

Laun adamant over ‘sinful’ Love Parade

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General News

A controversial Catholic bishop has claimed he was “misinterpreted” after branding the Love Parade stampede “God’s punishment” – but stressed he would still regard the event a “sin”.Salzburg Auxiliary Bishop Andreas Laun today (Mon) accused media of misinterpreting his statements made in a blog on a Catholic website last week.Laun said: “Love Parade equals sin […]

Bishop nomination is Vatican’s demonstration of power, say critics

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General News

The appointment of Ägidius Zsifkovics as new bishop of the Eisenstadt diocese has been branded a “reckless demonstration of power by the Vatican.”Theologian Paul Zulehner said he was “disappointed” to hear of today’s (Fri) decision of the Austrian Roman Catholic Church to make Zsifkovics the successor of Paul Iby.”I don’t think he will be accepted […]

New Catholic priests figures in decline

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General News

Fewer Austrians decided to become Catholic priests in the first half of this year than in 2009 as the church’s crisis continues.Church officials said today (Thurs) 24 men will be consecrated priests in 2010 by the end of this month. They said 33 consecrations took place in the first six months of last year.The Austrian […]

Study shows most priests want end of celibacy

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General News

A majority of Austrian Catholic priests want celibacy to be abolished, a survey has revealed.Researchers from Kepler University in the Upper Austrian city of Linz said today (Weds) 59 per cent of the clergy they spoke to said they backed the idea of putting an end to the ruling. Study leaders said they interviewed 406 […]