Monsignor Andreas Laun, 82, a former auxiliary bishop of Salzburg and a Catholic giant, died on 31 December.
For
decades he was one of Austria's most courageous and best bishops. A
moral theologian, he wrote many articles and books in a clear and
concise language. His books for religious education in schools were not
approved by his own bishops' conference and were largely ignored.
The
regime's media hated him for his faithful preaching and his courage.
His friends knew him as a pious, warm-hearted, humorous and sporting
man, and a dog lover. Sadly, in his last book he advocated the false
theory that animals can go to heaven, probably with his own dog Pamina, a
German shepherd, in mind.
Monsignor Laun was a tireless speaker
at countless vigils and demonstrations against abortion. He called
abortion the work of the devil, murder, and compared it to the crimes of
the National Socialists. Half-hearted measures against abortion, which
he wanted to see criminalised, were like "improving the heating in the
barracks at Auschwitz".
He lived in conflict with the opportunist
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna. At one point their relationship
was so tense that they only communicated through a mediator. In 2009,
Cardinal Schönborn forbade Bishop Laun to take part in a large pro-life
demonstration in Vienna.
Monsignor Laun rightly accused several
bishops' conferences of undermining the pro-family encyclical "Humanae
vitae" and giving "carte blanche for any deviation from the teachings of
the Church".
He called gender mainstreaming a "threat" and a
"most dangerous lie". In 2017, homosexual activists reported him to
prosecutors for "hate speech" after he called homosexuality
"disordered".
Monsignor Laun also celebrated Mass in the Roman
rite for the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter, although he never fully
learned it.
In January 2018, he signed a statement about Francis,
warning that he had created "rampant confusion" about Communion for
adulterers.
After several strokes, his final years were a time of
suffering. He commented: Christ didn't save us by preaching, but on the
cross.
Bishop Laun has appeared on Gloria.tv many times. Below
are videos from 2016 in which he spoke about a Europe without Christian
faith.
As a bishop, he leaves a void that no one will soon be able to fill. Requiescat in pace.
#newsBqwatbqsmq