Linz auxiliary bishop-designate Gerhard Maria Wagner has asked Pope Benedict XVI to withdraw him from nomination for promotion.Wagner, 54, asked Linz Bishop Ludwig Schwarz yesterday (Sun) evening to inform the media of his request.
Wagner said: "I have decided to ask the Holy Father in Rome to withdraw my nomination as auxiliary bishop after praying and discussing the situation with the diocesan bishop in view of strong criticism (of my nomination)."
Wagner added in an interview this morning on ORF Radio Ö1 he had voluntarily made his decision and felt greatly relieved.
Wagner added he would completely dedicate himself to his pastoral work in Windischgarsten, Upper Austria, in the future.
In response, pastoral theologian Paul Zulehner said Vienna Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn had been successful as a "trouble-shooter" in the Wagner case and demonstrated he again had Church affairs well in hand.
Andreas Khol, the head of the People’s Party’s (ÖVP) pensioners organisation and initiator of the Catholic lay initiative, said Wagner’s decision had caused him "joy" and "hope." He added the Austrian Church had never before had such influence in Rome.
Hans Peter Hurka from the platform "Wir sind Kirche" (We are the Church) said Wagner’s move had not solved all the Austrian Catholic Church’s problems.
Hurka said: "Wagner is worthy of great respect for his decision, but there is still a massive democratic deficit" in the Church. "We have to continue working to bring the Church closer to the people," he added.
Salzburg Social Democrat (SPÖ) Governor Gabi Burgstaller said today she had been "greatly relieved" by Wagner’s decision, and Upper Austrian Greens’ leader Rudi Anschober called it "an interim success."
Not all Catholics have welcomed Wagner’s decision, however. A number of them sent emails to the conservative Catholic website Internet-Forum Kath.net yesterday evening about "the scandal in Linz."
One e-mailer said the Wagner case was "the worst in the recent history" of the Austrian Catholic Church. Others called for an apostolic visitation to the diocese of Linz.
The "Christian Working Group in the Freedom Party (FPÖ)" deplored Wagner’s decision.
The last word on Wagner’s status, however, may not yet have been uttered.
The Italian news agency ANSA reported today that "Vatican circles" had said the Vatican had not received an official withdrawal request by Wagner and Pope Benedict XVI had therefore not reached a decision in the case.
Vatican protocol mandates an official, written request in a case like Wagner’s. The Vatican press office’s daily bulletin today did not mention the case.
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(Source: AT)