Father Wagner attacks Linz pseudo-clerical elite and Bishop hits back

Both together

Father Wagner from Windischgarten publicly diagnoses that in the Catholic Church in general and especially in the Diocese of Linz "the hat is on fire". Bishop Schwarz now accuses him of "heating up emotions".

The Diocesan bishop of Linz, Ludwig Schwarz, reacted unusually sharply to the criticism published at the weekend by the parish priest of Windischgarsten, Gerhard Maria Wagner. Wagner had diagnosed a "silent schism in the church". Schwarz rebuked Wagner, accusing him of "heating up emotions".

"The hat is on fire in the church"

Wagner had been chosen by the Vatican as auxiliary bishop of Linz about a year ago. After strong protests because of his conservative views, he renounced the consecration. But in the programme of the "Resonanzen", the festival of early music in the Vienna Konzerthaus, which opened on Saturday, he now denounced undesirable developments in the Catholic Church in general and specifically "abuses" in the diocese of Linz. "Yes, the hat is on fire in the Catholic Church," he found.

He said many priests and lay employees were engaging in "rebellion against the Pope and the Church". He criticised the growing number of pastoral workers "who question the Church's teaching authority and no longer inwardly accept the full doctrine of faith and morals of the Catholic Church". The result is believers who decide for themselves "what they can still affirm as Catholics", which ultimately leads to "a latent schism", to a "silent schism in the Church", Wagner said.

Schwarz against "heating up of emotions"

In the coming issue of the KirchenZeitung Diözese Linz, Bishop Schwarz stated that pastoral care and proclamation could only take place today in the cooperation of all, priests, deacons, full-time and voluntary lay employees. "There is no denying that alongside the many good things, there are also concerns and tensions in our Church. However, one-sided accusations and sweeping suspicions do not help to strengthen unity."

The current World Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in particular is a reminder of what is at stake for the Church in unity with Christian denominations and between local and universal Churches. "In the conversation with the Pope, to whom we feel close, the importance of coming together was emphasised. What we need is a sober and factual conversation and not the emotional heating up as published by Father Wagner in a Viennese programme booklet. Last year we showed that we in the diocese are ready for reconciliation and dialogue. It may be that we still have to intensify some things here."

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