Austrian priest allowed to resume ministry after fathering child

Published: 2005-08-01

VIENNA, Austria (CNS) -- An Austrian priest has been allowed to resume parish ministry after fathering a child. "He had to promise his bishop he would, in the future, live the celibate life of a Latin-rite Catholic priest; once he'd done this, he could return to pastoral duties without any problem," said Erich Leitenberger, spokesman for the Austrian bishops' conference. Leitenberger said that on Sept. 1, Father Christoph Frischmann of the Diocese of Innsbruck would take charge of the rural parishes of Hippach, Aschau and Ginzling following a two-year leave of absence.

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