Gerhard Maria Wagner
Encyclopedia
Gerhard Maria Wagner — born 1954 July 17, Wartberg ob der Aist, Austria—was appointed auxiliary bishop of Linz
, Austria, by Pope Benedict XVI
on 2009 January 31. Amidst controversy over his views that sin
caused Hurricane Katrina
, Wagner resigned on 2009 February 15.
Wagner had already become widely known in the world press for his 2005 comment attributing Hurricane Katrina
to God's ire toward the sins of New Orleans. James Gill
, columnist for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, satirically called for the Pope next to elevate Wagner as Archbishop of New Orleans after protests from Roman Catholics
in three New Orleans congregations over the merging of their churches by aging Archbishop Alfred Clifton Hughes
. The churches had been depopulated in part by out-migration resulting from Hurricane Katrina. Indeed, two months after Gill's writing, Hughes was engaged in encouraging the University of Notre Dame
to disembark from plans to host President Barack Obama
, a supporter of abortion
rights, as commencement speaker, and within days of Hughes' announcement of opposition to Obama's appearance the Times-Picayune published a letter to the editor urging that Hughes should instead have complained to the Pope about the short-lived appointment of Wagner to be auxiliary bishop of Linz.
In a 2009 February 7 column in the Times-Picayunes "Religion" section Bruce Nolan
pointed out that Wagner's controversial comments on Katrina-as-punishment were held by isolated members of several religious traditions, including Texas
evangelist John Hagee
and Israel
i rabbi Ovadiah Yosef.
Wagner's appointment as auxiliary bishop was met with controversy among Austrian Roman Catholics, with Linz Diocese Bishop Ludwig Schwarz
supportive, an informal group of priests led by Upper Austria
church dean Franz Wild opposed, and Graz-Seckau
Diocese Bishop Egon Kapellari optimistic that the "crisis" would be overcome by "good will" from both supporters and opponents.
Two weeks after his appointment Wagner requested its revocation because of the widespread criticism. In those 2 weeks the number of people leaving the Church had quadrupled in his Linz congregation, with similar or even higher numbers in the neighbouring communities, many of the ex-parishioners naming Wagner's appointment as the reason for their departure. The Times-Picayune reported Wagner's announcement in an Associated Press
article concluding with a comparison between the Wagner situation and that surrounding the Holy See
's decision to lift the excommunication
of the bishops of the Society of St. Pius X
, particularly Holocaust-denier
Richard Williamson. The Vatican formally accepted the resignation and dispensed Wagner from his appointment on 2 March 2009.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Linz
The Diocese of Linz is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Vienna, Austria.-Early history:In the early Middle Ages the greater part of the territory of the present Diocese of Linz was subject to the bishops of Lauriacum ; at a later date it formed part of the great Diocese of Passau, which extended...
, Austria, by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
on 2009 January 31. Amidst controversy over his views that sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
caused Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, Wagner resigned on 2009 February 15.
Wagner had already become widely known in the world press for his 2005 comment attributing Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
to God's ire toward the sins of New Orleans. James Gill
James Gill (columnist)
-Background:James Gill is a graduate of the University of Liverpool who emigrated to the United States in 1977. Since 1986 he has been a columnist for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans, Louisiana.-Times-Picayune columns:...
, columnist for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, satirically called for the Pope next to elevate Wagner as Archbishop of New Orleans after protests from Roman Catholics
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in three New Orleans congregations over the merging of their churches by aging Archbishop Alfred Clifton Hughes
Alfred Clifton Hughes
Alfred Clifton Hughes is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the 13th Archbishop of New Orleans, having previously served as Bishop of Baton Rouge from 1993 to 2002. On June 12, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Gregory M...
. The churches had been depopulated in part by out-migration resulting from Hurricane Katrina. Indeed, two months after Gill's writing, Hughes was engaged in encouraging the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
to disembark from plans to host President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, a supporter of abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
rights, as commencement speaker, and within days of Hughes' announcement of opposition to Obama's appearance the Times-Picayune published a letter to the editor urging that Hughes should instead have complained to the Pope about the short-lived appointment of Wagner to be auxiliary bishop of Linz.
In a 2009 February 7 column in the Times-Picayunes "Religion" section Bruce Nolan
Bruce Nolan (columnist)
Bruce Nolan is a staff writer and religion columnist for the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He also writes occasionally for other publications....
pointed out that Wagner's controversial comments on Katrina-as-punishment were held by isolated members of several religious traditions, including Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
evangelist John Hagee
John Hagee
John Charles Hagee is an American founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, a non-denominational charismatic megachurch with more than 19,000 active members...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i rabbi Ovadiah Yosef.
Wagner's appointment as auxiliary bishop was met with controversy among Austrian Roman Catholics, with Linz Diocese Bishop Ludwig Schwarz
Ludwig Schwarz
Ludwig Schwarz, S.D.B. is the Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Linz, Austria.-Life:Ludwig Schwarz was the first of nine children and grew up in Most pri Bratislave. After the expulsion of his family from Slovakia in 1945, he arrived in Vienna, where he attended primary school...
supportive, an informal group of priests led by Upper Austria
Upper Austria
Upper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...
church dean Franz Wild opposed, and Graz-Seckau
Roman Catholic Diocese of Graz-Seckau
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Graz-Seckau is a diocese comprising the Austrian state of Styria and is part of the Ecclesiastical province of Salzburg.-History:...
Diocese Bishop Egon Kapellari optimistic that the "crisis" would be overcome by "good will" from both supporters and opponents.
Two weeks after his appointment Wagner requested its revocation because of the widespread criticism. In those 2 weeks the number of people leaving the Church had quadrupled in his Linz congregation, with similar or even higher numbers in the neighbouring communities, many of the ex-parishioners naming Wagner's appointment as the reason for their departure. The Times-Picayune reported Wagner's announcement in an Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
article concluding with a comparison between the Wagner situation and that surrounding the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
's decision to lift the excommunication
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
of the bishops of the Society of St. Pius X
Society of St. Pius X
The Society of Saint Pius X is an international Traditionalist Catholic organisation, founded in 1970 by the French archbishop Marcel Lefebvre...
, particularly Holocaust-denier
Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in World War II, usually referred to as the Holocaust. The key claims of Holocaust denial are: the German Nazi government had no official policy or intention of exterminating Jews, Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas...
Richard Williamson. The Vatican formally accepted the resignation and dispensed Wagner from his appointment on 2 March 2009.