VZCZCXRO0715
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHVI #1026/01 2241501
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121501Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3155
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0007
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 001026 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KIRF VN AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA'S CATHOLIC CHURCH: STRUGGLING THROUGH CONTROVERSY 
AND DECLINING MEMBERSHIP 
 
VIENNA 00001026  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: The Austrian Catholic Church has had a number of 
high-profile clashes with the Vatican in 2009.  Cardinal Schoenborn, 
Archbishop of Vienna and head of the Austrian Bishops' Conference, 
publicly criticized the Pope's decision in January to rescind the 
excommunication of a bishop who denies the Holocaust.  The following 
month, local Church leaders blocked the Vatican appointment of a 
controversial auxiliary Bishop in the Upper Austrian city of Linz. 
Shortly thereafter, an Austrian priest admitted to a 25-year 
relationship with a widow.  Schoenborn and other Austrian Church 
leaders traveled to the Vatican at the Pope's invitation in June for 
discussions.  The conflicts reflect a deep gap between the Church 
and the Austrian public.  End summary. 
 
----------------------- 
A Difficult Year so Far 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) This has been a difficult year for Austria's Catholic Church. 
 The problems began in January 2009 when the Pope rescinded the 
excommunication of Holocaust-denier Bishop Richard Williamson.  This 
drew a sharp rebuke in a number of European countries, particularly 
Austria.  Cardinal Schoenborn, a longtime ally of the Pope's, took 
the rare step of criticizing the Vatican staff publicly for failing 
to properly advise the Pope. 
 
¶3. (U) This flare-up was followed later the same month with the 
Vatican appointment of conservative firebrand Gerhard Wagner as 
auxiliary Bishop of the Linz diocese.  No Church official in Linz, 
including Linz Bishop Ludwig Schwarz, would admit to putting forward 
Wagner's name for the post.  Wagner is well known for his 
controversial views; he has said, for example, that Hurricane 
Katrina was divine retribution against the city of New Orleans, the 
Harry Potter books are satanic, and homosexuality is curable. 
Wagner's appointment led to a public outcry that occurred just as 
Austrians were receiving their annual request to contribute to the 
Church.  A group of 33 deans in the Linz Diocese met in February and 
announced a vote of no confidence in Wagner, compelling Wagner to 
withdraw his nomination. 
 
¶4. (U) One of those voting against Wagner was Josef Friedl, a 
liberal priest who had earlier drawn media attention for championing 
the cause of a Kosovar teenager whose asylum petition had been 
denied.  Friedl in March admitted to a 25-year relationship with a 
widow, insisting to the press there was "no need to lie about it." 
Friedl then resigned from his post.  According to one poll, some 90 
percent of Austrians believe priests should be allowed to marry. 
 
¶5.  (U) In response to the Friedl affair and the growing tensions 
between Austrian Catholics and the Vatican, the Pope invited 
Cardinal Schoenborn and other Austrian church leaders to the Vatican 
June 15-16 for consultations.  Though media reports suggested that 
Schoenborn apologized to the Pope, Christian Alting von Geusau, an 
advisor to Schoenborn, denied that and insisted to us that the 
meeting was a frank exchange of opinions.  After the meeting, the 
Church decided to allow Friedl to remain a priest on the condition 
that he end the relationship with the widow.  Friedl has since 
refused to comment on the matter. 
 
------------------------- 
Views of the Papal Nuncio 
------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Peter Zurbriggen, Apostolic Nuncio to Austria, averred to 
us that the decision by Wagner to withdraw from the Linz appointment 
had calmed tensions, but at the cost of establishing a dangerous 
precedent.  The message to Austrian Catholics, he fears, is that 
they can block any Church appointment they don't like by 
protesting. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Zurbriggen said the Friedl case simply highlighted the 
deep-rooted controversy over priest celibacy.  He cited a recent 
estimate that 50 percent of Austrian priests have relationships with 
women, while adding that others familiar with Church issues maintain 
that the proportion is closer to 25 percent, still a significant 
figure.  He said that a reluctance to take a vow of celibacy is one 
reason for the shortage of priests in Austria and Germany. 
 
------------------------------------ 
High Standing, But Waning Membership 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶8.  (U) The Catholic Church in Austria can ill afford such 
controversies, given recent trends.  Catholic traditions are deeply 
rooted in Austrian culture, most clearly in the numerous official 
religious holidays and traditions.  Even nonreligious officials are 
expected to participate in holiday ceremonies and marches.  The 
Catholic charity Caritas plays a leading role in providing Austrian 
 
VIENNA 00001026  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
development and relief aid.  Moreover, the leader of the Austrian 
Catholic Church has a standing as the second-highest ranking 
official in the Austrian constitution.  Alting von Geusau told us 
Schoenborn meets regularly with Chancellor Faymann, which he said is 
unheard of in most other European countries. 
 
¶9.  (U) It is clear, however, that the influence of the Catholic 
Church is waning in Austria, as it is elsewhere in Europe. 
Approximately 40,000 Austrians depart the Catholic Church annually, 
and, according to one estimate, the Church has lost one million 
members over the past 30 years.  Only an estimated 10 percent of 
Austrian Catholics now attend weekly mass.  The Pope has come to be 
seen as more of a liability than a benefit for the Church's profile 
in Austria.  A poll taken in March of Austrian Catholics in the wake 
of the Wagner affair indicated the popularity of Pope Benedict had 
fallen sharply.  The poll indicated that 32 percent of Austrians had 
a positive opinion of the Pope, while 23 percent viewed him 
negatively.  In 2007, the numbers were 50 and 11.  The poll further 
indicated that only 17 percent of Austrians regard the Pope's 
statements as important, down from 29 percent two years ago. 
 
---------------------- 
Opponents Clash Online 
---------------------- 
 
¶10.  (U) A number of Austrian Catholics have sought to reform the 
Church rather than abandon it.  The Austrian reform movement "We are 
the Church" advocates women in the priesthood, an end to clerical 
celibacy, and a "positive" attitude towards sexuality.  The 
organization played a significant role in generating opposition to 
the Wagner appointment.  While the exact number of followers is not 
certain, the movement clearly has sympathizers, and has caused 
concern among the Church leadership.  The organization promotes its 
agenda online with the website: www.wir-sind-kirche.at. 
 
¶11.  (U) Church traditionalists are working to counter the influence 
of "We are the Church."  Alting von Geusau, a critic of the 
reformers, accuses the Austrian media of a biased, scandal-obsessed 
approach to Church coverage.  He recommended the conservative 
website www.kath.net as a source of "unbiased" coverage and a 
counterpoint to "We are the Church." 
 
---------------------------------- 
Comment: Church and Public Divided 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU) With the Austrian populace generally to the left of 
Church doctrine, reform has some appeal as a solution to declining 
membership.  However, Church officials understandably fear that 
reform would offend conservatives as much as attract liberals.  The 
recent controversies each have their distinct causes, but all are 
rooted in a stark dissonance between the Church and the public, with 
the Austrian hierarchy often caught between Rome and its domestic 
flock.  The Church will retain its important role for now, but 
paying Church membership will continue to decline for the forseeable 
future.