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19. 03. 10. - 15:00

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19. 03. 10. - 15:00

Austrian Catholics turn on church

Austrian Roman Catholics are up in arms over sex scandals involving local priests and children with increasing numbers threatening to quit the church.

A poll by the Integral released today (Fri) shows that 17 per cent of Austria’s 5.6 million Catholics (around one million) are seriously considering leaving the Church while 77 per cent want the statute of limitations on sexual abuse of children abolished.

Thirty-eight per cent believe the basic attitude of the Church has changed for the worse, and 56 per cent are no longer willing to entrust their children to the care of the Church.

Another 69 per cent said it thought the church was lacking in credibility and 51 per cent said it wanted to cut ties between Austria and the Vatican.

Integral was commissioned by independent platform Private Initiatives for the Protection of Victims of Church Violence to poll 300 people by telephone at the beginning of this week.

Results of another new poll by Linz public opinion research institute market released today show that 79 per cent of Austrians believe that recent revelations of sexual abuse of children by clergy have lowered the Church’s credibility.

Seventeen per cent said the Church’s role in society had been weakened, and 74 per cent said they doubted the Church could clarify past abuses. Only nine per cent said it could.

Market polled 704 people older than 15 on 17 and 18 March.

It remains to be seen whether the Church crisis will reduce Austrians’ religious feelings. Sixty-nine per cent of Austrians still believe in some kind of God, according to the results of a new poll by Linz public opinion research institute IMAS released yesterday.

Twenty-five per cent believe in a living God as in the Bible, and 34 per cent in a spiritual power hovering over mankind. Another 13 per cent believe in neither, and 21 per cent said they did not know what to believe in.

Forty-one per cent consider the Ten Commandments the proper guide to behaviour, but 34 per cent believe society can get along without them. Almost all Austrians older than 50 behave in trying to follow them, but only 25 per cent of those aged 16 to 29 do so.

The poll also shows a decline in church attendance, with 35 per cent going to church regularly, compared to 51 per cent in 1973.

IMAS interviewed 1,088 Austrians older than 15 in January and February. Seventy-eight per cent were Roman Catholic, five per cent were Evangelicals and 17 per cent adhered to another religion or to none.

Austrian Times

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