Gerhard Wagner (priest)

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Gerhard Maria Wagner (born July 17, 1954 in Linz ) is a Roman Catholic priest and pastor in Windischgarsten since 1988 . Wagner was nominated as auxiliary bishop in Linz for a short time in 2009, but refrained from taking over the office due to massive protests.

Life

Wagner grew up in the market town of Wartberg ob der Aist in the Freistadt district . After graduating from the Petrinum College in 1972 , Gerhard Wagner studied Catholic theology and philosophy in Linz and Rome . On 10 October 1978 he received in Rome by the Archbishop of Esztergom and Primate of Hungary, László Cardinal Lékai , the ordination . Wagner was chaplain in Bad Zell until 1979 and from 1979 to 1984 chaplain in Bad Ischl . He was then appointed as a cooperator in Marchtrenk and released for a doctoral degree in dogmatics at the Pontifical Gregorian University , which he graduated summa cum laude in 1988 . On September 11, 1988 he became pastor in Windischgarsten .

Pope Benedict XVI appointed him on January 31, 2009 titular bishop of Zuri and auxiliary bishop in Linz. On February 16, 2009, due to the controversy that had taken place around him, he asked the Pope to withdraw his appointment. According to the diocese of Linz, the Vatican agreed on the same evening. On March 2, 2009, the Vatican press service announced that Pope Benedict XVI. Wagner had given a dispensation from accepting the office of auxiliary bishop of Linz. Wagner supported the Engelwerk and its Order Canon Regular of the Holy Cross and belonged to the conservative Linz priestly circle.

Controversy

Wagner's planned appointment as auxiliary bishop by the Pope met with sharp criticism and incomprehension. The nomination was declared against the expectations of the Linz Cathedral Chapter and, according to media reports, without consultation with the Linz diocesan bishop Ludwig Schwarz and the chairman of the Austrian Bishops' Conference , the Vienna Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn . The governor of Upper Austria Josef Pühringer said in a radio interview that a decision had obviously been made that did not correspond to the diocese's three-way proposal . “This indicates that there is an image of the diocese in Rome that, in my opinion, does not correspond to reality. With the Windischgarstner pastor, a very conservative clergyman was appointed. ” Especially among the affected Catholics in the Diocese of Linz, Wagner's appointment led to heated discussions and a wave of people leaving the church . At a meeting of the dean's conference of the Diocese of Linz on February 10, 2009, 31 of the 35 deans present (out of a total of 39) rejected the appointment of Gerhard Wagner as auxiliary bishop. This vote was not legally binding, but according to Dechant Arno Jungreithmayr it should send a clear signal. The Bishop of Innsbruck Manfred Scheuer also distanced himself from his fellow student Wagner by saying that they had "become strangers to each other in recent years" , and the Bishop of Eisenstadt Paul Iby called Wagner's proposed appointment "inexplicable" .

However, there were also supporters of Wagner's planned appointment, such as Friedrich Engelmann , the longtime editor of the monthly magazine Der 13. , who stated: "Therefore I will give up my years of church tax boycott out of gratitude to Bishop Schwarz and pay my church contribution again."

Wagner, who is considered conservative, is a member of the Linz priestly circle. He sees the Harry Potter novels as a possible gateway for occultism and Satanism . He only has male acolytes in his parish in Windischgarsten . In a ZIB2 interview , Wagner made it clear that for him the existing ecclesiastical hierarchy is a “holy order” , which is why laypeople have no say in the discussion of questions of faith: “Finding the truth of faith is not found from below.” Reforms are exclusively from to be carried out above by the Pope and the bishops.

In the same ZIB2 broadcast, pastoral theologian Paul Zulehner from the University of Vienna described Wagner as an ultra-conservative who put the Catholic Church in a problematic situation. He considers Wagner's appointment to be a "wrong decision in terms of church politics" . Zulehner suspects that Wagner should be built up as Bishop of Linz, which he portrays as an error of the Pope, to whom he also blames full responsibility for it. Zulehner placed Wagner's appointment in a series of what he believed to be wrong personnel decisions in the Austrian church, such as the appointment of Hans Hermann Groër . The professor of theological ethics at the Chur Theological University, Hanspeter Schmitt , fundamentally doubted Wagner's qualifications in the Swiss Church Newspaper : "Can it now be that such an abyss of human ignorance and theological incompetence is lifted into the episcopal office?"

In his parish letter, Wagner named "intellectual pollution" as a possible reason for Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005 and considered a possible interpretation as divine punishment, including pointing out that a gay pride should have taken place in the French Quarter two days later . The controversial passage reads:

“ Hurricane Katrina [...] not only destroyed all nightclubs and brothels, but also all five (!) Abortion clinics. [...] Did you know that two days later the gay associations in the French quarter planned a parade of 125,000 homosexuals? As is only slowly becoming known, the amoral conditions in this city are indescribable. [...] Is the conspicuous accumulation of natural disasters only a consequence of environmental pollution by humans, or is it even more the result of 'intellectual pollution'? We will have to think more about this in the future. "

This interpretation of Wagner was condemned by the Catholic-Theological Faculty of the University of Vienna in an official statement as a "theologically untenable commentary on natural events" .

Gerhard Maria Wagner, contrary to the general attitude of psychological professional associations and today's knowledge in psychology and psychotherapy, considers homosexuality to be an illness and advocates the "treatment" of homosexuals. When asked whether homosexuality is curable and homosexuals should be treated: "There are enough examples of this, but one does not speak of it." The Bishop of Feldkirch Elmar Fischer , who initially stood behind Wagner in this regard, shortly afterwards publicly apologized for his statements and withdrew them: "I assumed that the scientific state of the literature was obviously no longer up-to-date."

Wagner said in an interview about the future of the church in view of the increasing number of people leaving the church : “Perhaps we must first become a small group again in order to then have a stronger impact. And then the few will move more than the many who do not move. " Salzburg Archbishop Alois Kothgasser clearly contradicted this idea : " That is a basic question: Should the Catholic Church be 'shrunk to health', as it were, to a 'sect', wherever The Catholic Church of Jesus Christ, which offers space for diversity, is open and shapes society from within, are there, but loyal to the line. ” The Bishop of Graz-Seckau Egon Kapellari also rejected Wagner's ecclesiological design as unrealistic from: “Even if stupid things happen, we will certainly not become a sect. Everyone who leaves the church is one too many, but 70 percent of Austrians are still Catholics. "

In order to prevent the auxiliary bishop-designate from getting entangled in further debates and giving rise to renewed criticism, the church leadership forbade him in February 2009 from giving further interviews. In addition, Wagner was asked to moderate himself and not worry about further confrontations in order to prove himself worthy of his new office. Regardless of all primarily theologically justified criticism of him, Wagner persisted in looking back on his controversial, but in his opinion "Catholic" positions and in an interview in April 2009 did not make these but a "plot" against him and the lack of steadfastness of the Austrian episcopate responsible for the failure of his appointment as auxiliary bishop.

In January 2010, in a “courier” interview, Wagner answered the question whether a punitive god was at work during the earthquake in Haiti : “I don't know. God does not let himself be seen in his cards. But it is interesting that in Haiti 90 percent are followers of voodoo cults. ” The foreigner issue will have to be looked at more closely, because it is about the spread of Islam . Wagner also called for a referendum on a minaret ban based on the Swiss model . In the much- noticed case of Arigona Zogaj , Wagner stated that "if necessary, one must also have the courage to send someone back". And he has nothing against homosexuals, he loves them like someone who lies. He has something against “practicing a way of life that does not correspond to God's plan.” In response to Wagner's Haiti comment, the Diocese of Linz stated that to associate natural disasters today “with criminal acts by the creator of God” would be “an expression of a direct expression cynical, fundamentalist interpretation of the Bible ”.

On December 12, 2014, Wagner described the state of the Catholic Church in Austria as a “pigsty” and the diocese of Linz as a “pigsty that stinks”, although he sees himself as part of the church he loves very much. The Linz episcopal vicar Wilhelm Vieböck said he found it terrifying that Wagner used the drastic word pig for the whole church in Austria.

Publications

  • The vocation and mission of the laity in the pastoral service of the Church. An Ecclesiological Study of the Statements of the Magisterium of the Church, 1965–1987 . Typis Pontificiae Universitatis Gregorianae, Rome 1988, OCLC 636088602 (also dissertation, Pontificia Università Gregoriana 1988).
  • Called to serve in the Church and in the world. Letters from a pastor to his parish . Stella Maris Verlag, Buttenwiesen 2003, ISBN 3-934225-33-0 .

literature

  • Norbert Blaichinger: Heaven or Hell. Seven days with Dr. Gerhard Wagner, pastor of Windischgarsten . edition innsalz, Ranshofen 2014, ISBN 978-3-902981-38-7 .
  • Norbert Blaichinger: Quite Catholic. Mary, Holy Mass, Pope. In conversation with Dr. Gerhard Wagner . edition innsalz, Ranshofen 2015, ISBN 978-3-902981-89-9 .

Web links

 Wikinews: Gerhard Maria Wagner  - in the news

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Self-testimony on the website of the parish St. Jakob in Windischgarsten. http://www.dioezese-linz.or.at/pfarren/windischgarsten/stjakob/site/report.php?action=display&id=119 ( Memento from February 6, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  2. ↑ a b Kathpress , January 31, 2009: Gerhard Wagner new auxiliary bishop for Linz [1]
  3. ↑ Der Standard: Faithful to the Pope, open only to conflicts : [2]
  4. ↑ RINUNCE E NOMINE. Retrieved September 26, 2018 .
  5. ↑ Gerhard Wagner does not become auxiliary bishop of Linz! , kath.net , February 15, 2009
  6. ↑ Dispensa del Santo Padre , in: Holy See Press Office: Daily Bulletin of March 2, 2009.
  7. ↑ Heiner Boberski : The angel work. Theory and Practice of Opus Angelorum . Otto Müller Verlag, Salzburg 1993, ISBN 3-7013-0854-3 , p. 275 f.
  8. ↑ Thomas M. Hofer: God's right church. Catholic fundamentalists on the rise. Ueberreuter Verlag, Vienna 1998, ISBN 3800036754 . P. 137
  9. ↑ Der Standard , February 1st, 2009: Hardly appointed Linz Auxiliary Bishop, Gerhard Maria Wagner was confronted with a wave of indignation . [3]
  10. ↑ Der Standard: The new Auxiliary Bishop of Linz has so far mainly attracted attention with bizarre statements about "Harry Potter" novels and natural disasters. [4]
  11. ↑ a b Der Spiegel , from January 31, 2009: Pope appoints ultra-conservatives as bishop. [5]
  12. ↑ Declaration by the Linz Cathedral Chapter. On the appointment of Auxiliary Bishop Gerhard Maria Wagner ( Memento from February 27, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  13. ↑ Netzeitung of February 1, 2009: Pope makes Harry Potter enemy a bishop. ( Memento from February 2, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  14. ^ The standard of February 1, 2009: Decision does not correspond to the three-way proposal of the diocese . [6]
  15. ↑ Diocese of Linz: Resigning from the church fast upwards , DiePresse.com , February 10, 2009
  16. ↑ Dean against decision of the Pope. In: oesterreich.orf.at. February 10, 2009, accessed November 23, 2017 .
  17. ↑ http://www.nachrichten.at/nachrichten/politik/landespolitik/art383,108183
  18. ↑ Scheuer about Wagner: "We have become strangers in the past few years" ( Memento from February 6, 2019 in the web archive archive.today )
  19. ↑ Diocesan Bishop Iby criticizes Wagner's order , DiePresse.com , February 14, 2009
  20. ↑ Der Standard, February 10, 2009: When the Catholic turns the tap. http://derstandard.at/1233587066034/Kirchenbeitrag-Wenn-der-Katholik-am-Geldhahn-draht ( Memento from September 11, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
  21. ↑ http://www.nachrichten.at/nachrichten/politik/landespolitik/art383,104666
  22. ↑ ZIB 2 of February 2, 2009 ORFonDemand , cf. also: Paul Michael Zulehner, Retreat into the Ghetto , Die Presse , February 3, 2009
  23. ↑ Hanspeter Schmitt: Criteria and Limits of Church Personnel Policy , Schweizerische Kirchenzeitung , February 12, 2009 ( Memento of February 27, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  24. ^ Religion.orf.at, December 1, 2005: Hurricane and tsunami as God's punishment? [7]
  25. ↑ Parish Letter St. Jakob, Windischgarsten, No. 137 (p. 10), November 2005, review of the hurricane in New Orleans ( PDF ( Memento from February 19, 2009 in the Internet Archive ))
  26. ^ Declaration by the Catholic Theological Faculty on Bishop Williamson and Auxiliary Bishop Wagner , in: The Pope in the Crossfire. Back to Pius or continue the council? . Pp. 245 ff., ISBN 978-3-643-10128-0 .
  27. ↑ BT-Drs. 16/8022 Bundestag: Statement by the Federal Government on anti- homosexual seminars and pseudo-scientific therapy offers by religious fundamentalists (PDF; 108 kB)
  28. ↑ profile 07/09 ( Memento from September 9, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )
  29. ^ Bishop Fischer: "Homosexuality is curable" , DiePresse.com , February 12, 2009
  30. ↑ "Homosexuality curable": Bishop Fischer apologizes , DiePresse.com , February 13, 2009
  31. ↑ “There is no such thing as a 'dear God'” ( Memento of February 8, 2009 in the Internet Archive ). The designated new auxiliary bishop of Linz, Gerhard Wagner, in an interview with KURIER about God's punishment, greed and the danger of Islam , Kurier , February 7, 2009
  32. ↑ “Remain with God and men!”. An interview with Archbishop Alois Kothgasser on the situation of the church , from the website of the Archdiocese of Salzburg ( Memento from February 27, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  33. ^ Bishops and Rome put the brakes on Wagner. Requirement to end the confrontation course - Kapellari: "Will definitely not be a sect" - Fear of believers ' payment behavior , Der Standard , February 13, 2009
  34. ↑ Muzzle for the auxiliary bishop of Linz , DiePresse.com , February 10, 2009
  35. ^ Bishops and Rome put the brakes on Wagner. Requirement to end the confrontation course - Kapellari: "Will definitely not be a sect" - Fear of believers ' payment behavior , Der Standard , February 13, 2009
  36. ↑ Cf.: "The Linzer Weg is not a Catholic": Auxiliary Bishop Wagner who was unable to attend accounts , Profil , April 23, 2009
  37. ↑ Niki Nussbaumer: Wagner: "Muslims are the problem of Christians" , Kurier Online ( Memento from February 2, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
  38. ↑ a b Der Standard , February 1, 2010, "Haiti: Wagner considers voodoo to be a possible cause of tremors"
  39. ↑ Is the Catholic Church in Austria a mess? , kath.net , December 15, 2014
  40. ↑ Daniel Scheibl Berger: Pastor: "diocese is a stinking mess" ( Memento of 15 December 2014 Web archive archive.today ), Courier , December 13, 2014
personal data
SURNAME Wagner, Gerhard
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Wagner, Gerhard Maria
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian Roman Catholic priest
DATE OF BIRTH 17th July 1954
PLACE OF BIRTH Linz