WORLD BRIEFING / AUSTRIA
TIMES WIRE REPORTS
A conservative priest whose promotion to bishop has polarized the Roman Catholic Church in Austria asked Pope Benedict XVI to revoke his appointment because of the uproar it had caused.
The resignation of Gerhard Maria Wagner, who said Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was God punishing New Orleans for its sins, came on the eve of a crisis meeting of Austria’s bishops to discuss the controversy.
The Austrian Catholic news agency Kathpress said the request was granted.
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