Posted on 01/25/2005 11:18:07 AM PST by corpus
Austrian Catholic Church declines Members are leaving in record numbers after porn scandal The Associated Press Jan 23, 2005 VIENNA, Austria -- Austrians are leaving the Roman Catholic Church in record numbers, according to statistics released last week. Church officials attributed the 44,852 dropouts during 2004 to a scandal involving the discovery of child and other pornography on computers at a seminary in the diocese of St. Poelten, the Austria Press Agency reported. The number is expected to rise further, because the St. Poelten Diocese has yet to report its 2004 statistics. The seminary where the pornography was found was shut down in August and a new bishop was installed in November. The previous record loss of 44,300 parishioners occurred in 1995 when accusations surfaced that the late Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer molested youths at a monastery in the 1970s. Since then, the Austrian church has lost almost half a million members, APA reported. The exodus means an income loss, because dropouts escape paying a tax collected by the government for church purposes, which averages more than $325 a year.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesdispatch.com ...
There is no escape from the consequence of sin.
Sooner or later it comes out and bites you in the a$$.
God is not mocked.
Do civilians, who lie and cheat, also have no right to complain when the people they elect to office are caught lying and cheating?
Should they just turn their heads and ignore that too?
As mentioned before, religion in much of Europe is taxed. Few truly believe and many in churches or cathedrals are there because of its architecture or history. Gospel is trendy today because of its sound, not meaning.
Religion is on decline as their society is on a whole. However, few in Europe see a correlation between moral, ethical, and family decline and their loss of relevance, power, and wealth.
In fact, just the mention of such a thing as “morals” will already raise a brow and snicker among most. Use the word “relative” and you’re automatically “intellectual”.
Red6
"Since then [1970's], the Austrian church has lost almost half a million[!] members, APA reported."
Let me guess, part of the "New Springtime"? So far this month we have seen postings on Ireland, France, and Austria to factually demonstrate that the so-called “New Springtime” is an absolute farce. And these are statistics from age-old (once) Catholic countries. How many countries should we go through to prove this New Springtime has been merely wishful thinking?
I don't think so.
The faithful Catholic does not abandon his faith because others are unfaithful.
When many of Jesus' disciples left him He turned to Peter and said; "Will ye also go away?" John 6:68
Scripture tells us:
Then Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life."
The faithful Catholic answers with Peter.
Grand slam!!!
"Two quotes come to mind: Pull the log out of your own eye before you point out the splinter in your brother's eye. and Be as holy as you want the Church to be. Until the laity can get their act together, they have no right to complain."
This is absolutely funny.
So, the shepherds point at the sheep, 'When will you start finding the better fields? When will you stop all your wondering around? When you get your act together, tell m e and we can do something!'
The clergy are in their positions of LEADERSHIP precisely for the purpose of leading.
The laity are not expected to be as competent/spiritually mature/knowledgable as the clergy which is supposed to LEAD THEM.
The fact is that Christianity is dying in Europe for the simple fact that the clergy there are incompetent, lacking in faith, and have insufficient love of veracity and fidelity that would motivate them to purge their ranks of perverts and frauds.
And though the faithful Catholic would still attend mass where they can, maybe they dont attend where there is little choice because they dont want to risk the exposure of their children to perverts?
The leaders need to clean their own house, then try to lead the church.
As to their leading the flock astray, Jesus had words for what that will entail that I probably dont need to remind you of.
excellent point. I would bet anything that most of the thousands that left the Church were not practicing Catholics to begin with. Most people that identify themselves as "catholic" in Europe are not practicing to begin with.
I seem to recall making that reply myself, along with others on this forum, when our protestant friends asked why we did not abandon the Church a year or two ago.
"So far this month we have seen postings on Ireland, France, and Austria to factually demonstrate that the so-called “New Springtime” is an absolute farce."
Indeed. The hierarchy in Ireland are considering using married deacons to fill in for vanishing priests. Just imagine your friendly neighbour decked out in his colourful robes taking your confession amd doling out the cookies after bedding his wife!! Yuk!
Leave it to a sede to ridicule the Eucharist.
The Church - right or wrong! No higher standard?
"The faithful Catholic does not abandon his faith because others are unfaithful."
"When many of Jesus' disciples left him He turned to Peter and said; "Will ye also go away?" John 6:68
Scripture tells us: Then Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life."
You don't think so? Were the numbers pulled out of a hat?
When Simon Peter made that answer was he speaking to a buggering homosexual?
Regardless of the sins of the laity, supposedly they aren't as reprehensible as the published sins of the clergy.
If someone cheats on their taxes, are all options then closed to them as to whom they will associate with? Must they accept men to lead their spiritual lives who are even worse than they are?
Don't you think it is the Church that must increase in holiness to gain back those souls, rather than the souls further degrading their own state to keep up with the Church,
Where shall they go indeed, I've been asking myself that for a long time.
And what great sin was Jesus speaking of?
"Leave it to a sede to ridicule the Eucharist."
(See pictures of the immodest, clowns, Rainbow Sashers, Bill Clinton, and John Kerry receiving Holy Communion from a NO "priest".)
Taking externals to task is one thing; ridiculing the very Body of Christ by calling Him a "cookie" is a bit over the top, even for you guys, don't you think?
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