Reform Catholics in Liechtenstein lack support
Early summer presents itself almost like paradise from the balcony of the St. Elisabeth monastery in Schaan. The last remnants of cloud dissolve in the sun. The mountain ranges rise majestically on the other side of the Rhine Valley. The pointed steeple of St. Laurentius, the Catholic Church, pierces the azure like a rock.
Archbishop refuses to participate
But the idyll is deceptive. Just a few meters away, the members of the “Association for an Open Church” are arguing at the end of the synodal process. The process, which the group around Christel Kaufmann, Bruno Fluder and Klaus Biedermann had to organize almost on their own, lasted from November to May – Archbishop Wolfgang Haas and the Catholic priests in the Archdiocese of Vaduz had refused to participate.
250 people take part in a survey on five topics; five panels took place; three religious classes also participated. A flyer as an invitation was sent to around 2,000 households. Nevertheless, the conclusion sounds frustrating. “The Archdiocese of Vaduz is deeply divided,” summarizes Bruno Fluder. He presented the most important findings of the survey last week at a press conference.
The reason: According to Fluder, loyal followers of the archbishop have consistently stayed away from the synodal process, although this goes back to an initiative by Pope Francis.
“The clergy of the archdiocese and the archbishop himself do not seem to see the group of open-minded Catholic believers as part of the church, but only as a private association,” criticized Fluder.
Not only the approximately 250 Catholics who took part in the survey feel restricted since the Archdiocese of Vaduz was founded in 1997. “They miss random lay participation,” says Fluder. Likewise, they would miss statements from the diocese leadership on relevant social issues such as the war in Ukraine, Corona or the “option for the poor”.
Credibility problem due to scandals and power games
In addition, the reform group in Liechtenstein comes to the conclusion that men dominate in the church and that the official church has a credibility problem due to scandals and power games. “Various social minorities are marginalized in the church,” Fluder continued. “Sexual morals must finally be changed.”
And that’s not all. The 60 clergymen of the Catholic Church in Liechtenstein are criticized for being “extremely conservative” and also “not suitable” for responding to the living environment of the believers and letting them participate. The Second Vatican Council clearly cemented the co-determination rights of the creditors.
However, the possibility of lay participation in particular has increased drastically in recent years. Pastoral assistants, deacons and other committed people had to give up their jobs or had nothing more to say, criticizes the association – which, according to its statutes, wants religious diversity and the right of co-determination of the faithful.
The Association of the Open Church in Liechtenstein, founded in 1998 as a reaction to the founding of the Archdiocese of Vaduz with Wolfgang Haas at the helm, is certain that the archbishop’s isolation led to the harmfulness of the people’s church in Vaduz. “He is no longer in contact with others,” sums up Kurt Biedermann, long-standing board member of the association.
He therefore calls for information to be provided initially and transparently with regard to the succession of the archbishop. “On the other hand, we would like the Catholic Church in Liechtenstein to be connected to a neighboring diocese again,” says Biedermann. “It can either be the diocese of Chur or St. Gallen or the diocese of Feldkirch.”
Central to this is that the ecclesiastical authority responsible for Liechtenstein is involved in a bishops’ conference. Last but not least, politics in terms of church affinity is not given good marks. Günther Boss, the association’s theological advisor, criticizes: “Politicians no longer care about the church, they no longer want to have anything to do with it.”
“The route is the goal”
What is the bottom line for the organizers of the synodal process in Liechtenstein – which tried to take the pulse of the principality’s creditors? What? Disappointment?
“Neither insured,” Christel Kaufmann. It is clear to the club that the final report in Rome will probably not lead to any major changes. “The route is the goal.” Great satisfaction was felt from the synodal process in and for Liechtenstein. “Perhaps you can put it this way: We like to play football, but unfortunately without the ball.”
Bruno Fluder also sees it positively: “The synodal process has shown that there is a very lively church in Liechtenstein – unfortunately there is too little or almost no place for it on the part of the official church.” Oh yes: Archbishop Haas has already received the final report. There have been no reactions to this so far.