In recent days, Pope Ratzinger promoted Gerhard Maria Wagner to the position of auxiliary bishop in Linz, Austria - despite Wagner's 2005 comments about the destruction of New Orleans:
A 2005 report by Kath.Net, a Catholic Austrian news agency, said Wagner had characterized Katrina as divine retribution in a short essay in a parish newsletter.Wagner wrote that people should ask themselves whether the "noticeable" increase of natural disasters such as Katrina was a result of pollution caused by humans or the result of "spiritual pollution."
"This was not the sinking of just any city but that of a people's dream city with the 'best brothels and prettiest prostitutes,' " he wrote.
Apparently, Wagner has now had the decency to ask for the promotion to be rescinded. It is not known at the present time whether His "Holiness" will comply. Perhaps Herr Ratzinger, known for not surfing the web much, was "unaware" of Wagner's remarks, just as he was of Richard Williamson's anti-Semitic neo-Nazi views.
[url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/02/15/bishop-katrina.html][color=red]
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