Exiled Pastor of Linz Trusts God in His Persecution

Edit: translated from the exclusive KATH.NET article from yesterday.

Pastor of Kopfing: The Diocese Linz needs a prayer of deliverance

... so that it finally can announce the Gospel of Jesus freely and without fear and relativistic confusion. -- KATH.NET -- Interview with P. Andreas Skoblicki over his dismissal

Linz (kath.net/rn) The firing of the beloved Polish Priest, Andreas Skoblicki from the Diocese of Linz has enraged tempers, as the newspaper "Die Presse" speaks of an "unusually hard decision" of the Bishop of Linz.  In Kopfing itself many faithful are shocked.  A few of the faithful an especially those members of the Parish Council who had supported their Pastor, shed tears at the announcement of the Bishop's decision. Not even copies of the alleged protest letter had brought any of them to the side of the Bishop.  His critics, who had instigated the campaign against him, were hardly to be seen in the parish according to the Polish Pastor.

Things are still unclear in the Parish of Kopfing.  Skoblichi had build a blooming parish with a lot of prayer, a parish, for example, which even has a new youth prayer group.  The Pastor informs KATH.NET that he will leave the Diocese in any case and would like to return to Poland as soon as possible.

KATH.NET:  You have to suddenly leave the Parish of Kopfing within a few days.  What do you say to that?

P Andreas Skoblicki: It is natural for me and for many people in the Parish a complete surprise. Apparently, my period of notice isn't valid. The contract was extended in 2010 by the Diocese of Linz till 2014.

KATH.NET:  The Bishop of Linz Ludwig Schwarz gave the following reason: "Then again he didn't succeed in settling, as many people maintain, objections, conflicts and fears , for that reason it is not  possible to reconcile and live together in Koping, in order to be present as a Christian Community -- even as a sign for the entire public."  What do you say to this accusation?

P. Andreas Skoblicki:  I don't understand this statement.  I haven't had any conflicts with anyone or awakened fears.  My only goal was to profess, "Christ Crucified" and "Christ, God's Power and Wisdom" (1 Cor 1: 23; 25) . Everything else is only ascribed to me. I am very much in wonder about the people who have agitated against me.  I have only pointed out the Ten Commandments and the doctrinal truths of the Church.

I have been  under contract to preach to and exhort the people, the Eucharist as the presence of Lord Jesus, to see His  Body and Blood, and recall on that, that one can not receive Communion in a state of serious sin,  from the earlier Linz Bishop, Maximilian Aichern, and later then of Bishop Schwarz.  I have also always said that the unity of the work of the Holy Ghost is and always the fruit of the presence of Jesus in all hearts of men.

It was very striking what the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios I of Constantinople said in Rome on 29 June 2004: "The unity of the Church is not a worldly unity like the unity of states.  The unity, which the churches hope for, is a spiritual quest, which is aimed, to live in common with the spiritual unity with the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.  They will come, if we all will have >>the spirit of Christ<<, >>the Love of Christ<<, >>the true Christ<<, >>the humility of Christ<<, >>the readiness to suffer for Christ<<, and generally, if we are all that, what Christ Himself is, to live, as He Himself lived, or if we even have the longing to live that way, as He expects of us."

We all should also not forget what Lord Jesus said:  "Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake." (Mt 5, 11). This is how the activists have treated me! Never the less, I have a Lydia, a woman from this group, who has even visited the house.  I said to her that, if she believes that I have injured her, that I ask for her forgiveness.  She then told me that she had to think about it.  As a consequence, she continued to collect signatures, even from children as young as 13.

KATH.NET:  In the Diocese of Linz  there happen to be priests who more or less live openly with girlfriends or ignore, more or less de facto, commands from Rome.  Do you have the feeling that one could be fairly treated in the Diocese of Linz as a priest true to Rome?



P. Andreas Skoblicki: I find my answer to this question in the second letter of St. Paul to Timothy: "And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim 3, 12) Many people speak of Rome. We are not in Rome, rather we must go before the throne of God for judgment. It is not important to me, if I was fairly treated or not, rather that I will learn evermore the providence of God and his will. We read in Hebrews 4, 13: "Neither is there any creature invisible in his sight: but all things are naked and open to his eyes, to whom our speech is."

For that reason we are all adventurers, whether good or bad, we can observe and see, if we are running well or in vain. I know that this is a Grace from God, that is actual primarily after repentance."

KATH.NET: Other Priests who are true to Rome from the Diocese of Linz are now afraid that similar dismissals will take place if certain activists and media start campaigns here. What would you like to say to these priests?

P. Andreas Skoblicki: Stay True! "The disciple is not above the master, nor the slave above his lord." (Mt 10, 24). Just stay true to the Lord Jesus. Follow after Him! He gives us everything that we need and He wants that we listen daily to His voice.

KATH.NET: What plans do you have for the future?

P. Andreas Skoblicki: I want to be holy!!!

KATH.NET: What do you want for the Diocese of Linz?


P. Andreas Skoblicki: That it uses its many possibilities and resources for the good and that and that they finally separate from the load of the past by a prayer of deliverance or expiation and free the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to declare it to the people without fear and relativistic confusion. Otherwise i wish the Diocese that they obey Peter, the Pope. I also thank the Diocese that they allowed me to work here. So I could experience certain conversion and could experience the nearness of God and His mercy.

KATH.NET: Thank you so much for the interview and God's blessings on your future!

Here's Father Skoblicki's email address for solidarity and encouragement. You can send them and he'll receive them at andreas.skoblicki@kath.net.

KATH.NET is planning a Polish trip with P. Andreas Skoblicki in the foreseeable future! If you are interested, e-mail polenreise@kath.net to make a reservation. They'll take you with.

Contact: Bischof Ludwig Schwarz - E-mail bischoefl.sekretariat@dioezese-linz.at

Contact: Austrian Nuncio: E-mail nuntius@nuntiatur.at

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