Image: Screenshot ORF
“I can understand the worries and anger of the young people,” said Schönborn on Sunday in the ORF “press hour”. “I’m an old 68er,” the cardinal recalled of his youth. He supported the concerns, said Schönborn, but he also emphasized that he rejected violence.
For Schönborn it is “obvious” that there is a connection between human behavior and climate change. He considers the thesis that climate change is not man-made to be “irresponsible”. And he shares the concern that it could have very dramatic consequences for future generations.
Cardinal Schönborn on the challenge of the climate crisis:
sorry for statement
The cardinal apologized for his earlier statement to Corona critics: “Dear God, let it rain brains.” This was understood to mean that he was on the side of those who had brains and the critics didn’t. He’s sorry about that, said Schönborn now. He wanted to correct this statement as follows: “Dear God let it rain enough brains for all of us.” Schönborn defended that the church supported the government’s corona measures, even if in retrospect one was always smarter. In connection with the review announced by the government, the cardinal advocated looking not only to the past but also to the future.
In connection with the black-blue cooperation in Lower Austria, Schönborn sees “with concern” a political development that will not only lead to a “loss of the center” in Austria. He pointed out that the two major parties, SPÖ and ÖVP, are both struggling with crises and that radicalization and populism are always a danger in times of crisis.
The cardinal is also concerned about the drifting apart of rich and poor. Here he pleads for Caritas proposals to be included in the social partnership. As an example, he cited freelancers.
“Austria a possible place for peace negotiations”
For Schönborn, the Ukraine war is a war of aggression triggered by Russia that cannot be justified by anything. A “just peace” must respect the rights of an attacked state. Injustice that has happened must be made good and war crimes must be called by their names, Schönborn called the kidnapping of children a “scandal”. The cardinal is “very happy” that Austria has taken a very clear position that it is militarily neutral, but not in terms of values. Therefore, in his view, Austria would also be a possible location for later peace negotiations.
Role of the Church in Times of War:
celibacy “revisable”
With regard to the question of the upgrading of women in the Catholic Church, Schönborn referred to the synodal process initiated by the Pope. However, he emphasized that something would change here. And the cardinal, like the pope, also considers celibacy to be “revisable”. The only question is how, when and where. Here Schönborn pleaded for a common global solution.
Schönborn attributes the fact that the number of people leaving the church and that of Catholics in Austria has fallen to around 55 percent to a global development. In his opinion, this has to do with the development of society as a whole and with new ways of life in society. Internal church reforms will not bring people back to the churches, Schönborn is convinced. The solution is a vibrant community.
Schönborn reported that the concern for Pope Francis was great, and the all-clear after his release from the hospital was all the more gratifying. “We need him, we love him.” When asked whether Francis, like his predecessor Benedict, could resign for health reasons, Schönborn pointed out that Francis himself had said that he wanted to hold the office “to its natural end” unless it was no longer possible.
Concern for Pope Francis:
The Archbishop of Vienna has preferences for his own successor, as he said, but he does not want to name them. You have to ask the Pope how long he will remain in office. Francis apparently intends that he should still be present at the two synods in 2023 and 2024, by which time he will soon be 80. “If the good Lord does not call me into eternal life beforehand, it will then be time to retire.”
Schönborn on his personal future:
Source: Nachrichten
