Austrian Priest Publishes Names of Former Catholics

By Tom Gallagher
National Catholic Reporter
January 27, 2012

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/austrian-priest-publishes-names-former-catholics

[with pdf]

Here's a new form of evangelization: Publish the names of all the Catholics who have formally left the church.

A pastor in an Austrian church did exactly that. What was he thinking?

The Vienna archdiocese immediately apologized. According to ABC News, "a statement says those affected have been asked 'for forgiveness,' noting making the names public 'is not allowed by state or church rules.' Those who formally renounce their membership in the Austrian Catholic church are freed from paying the mandatory church tax."