How is It Possible? Cardinal Approves Homosexual Parish Council Member

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, who leads the Roman Catholic Church in Austria, has apparently confirmed that an openly homosexual man may serve on the parish council at a church in Stutzenhofen – a town in the Weinviertel region. Florian Stangl was elected to the advisory post by members of the congregation, but apparently did not find approval on the part of his pastor, Rev. Gerhard Swierzek.

(Cardinal Christoph Schonborn)

Stangl and his companion resorted to asking for a personal interview with Cardinal Schonborn, who then spoke with the pair and dined with them. According to Austrian daily Die Presse, Cardinal Schonborn decided that Stangl should not be excluded from the position, but the decision was not made public until March 30.

Rev. Swierzek, who had opposed the homosexual Stangl, has since received death threats. Gasoline is said to have been poured through a window at his rectory, while a local newspaper reported that there was a rumour that the priest has left on vacation.

The priest arrived at the editorial offices of Bezirksblätter, the daily newspaper in Stuzenhofen, to demand a retraction of the false report of his absence from the town, while also threatening to file a lawsuit. Local reports says that the Vicar General, Rev. Nikolaus Krasa – who oversees the priests in the region – has advised the outraged priest to remain calm and refrain from any confrontations with the media.

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