Austrian Catholics criticize planned beatification of last emperor

Published: 2004-07-09

OXFORD, England (CNS) -- The planned beatification of the last Habsburg emperor in Austria will "create unnecessary trouble for the church," said the editor of an Austrian Catholic newspaper. "Although there can be various opinions about his personal holiness, he was also a highly ambivalent person. There's no reason for his beatification, which will merely create unnecessary trouble for the church," said Rudolf Mitlohner, editor of the Die Furche Catholic weekly. Emperor Charles I of Austria, who also ruled Hungary as King Charles IV, is to be declared blessed by Pope John Paul II on Oct. 3. Jesuit Father Paul Zulehner, dean of the University of Vienna's Catholic theology faculty, told Catholic News Service that the beatification had been initiated by a "small group" in the Austrian church. "Fortunately, important victims of the Nazi regime have also been beatified, which will help to balance this move," Father Zulehner said.

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