(LifeSiteNews) — Cardinal Christoph Schönborn said that handing over Catholic churches to other denominations is the right way to go.
In an interview with the magazine “Information Christlicher Orient” for its July issue, Schönborn commented on the fact that the Lazarist Church in Vienna’s 7th district recently was handed over to the Coptic Orthodox Church. This marked the fourth handover of a Catholic church to the Copts in Vienna. The most recent one took place under Archbishop Josef Grünwidl and the three previous transfers under Schönborn.
The Austrian cardinal stressed that he considers the transfer of Catholic churches that are no longer needed to other denominations to be the right course of action. He also praised the Coptic Church for its strong faith that he said can also enrich other churches.
He noted that in other countries churches are being deconsecrated and converted into libraries, coffeehouses, or gymnasiums. Schönborn said that he had definitely wanted to avoid this path as much as possible “because we have so many other Christian churches in Austria, especially in Vienna.”
According to the cardinal, it would be a given to “perhaps forgo economic gain, but in return enable our Christian brothers and sisters to find a spiritual home in a church.”
This approach has been implemented not only with the Copts but with many churches that have grown significantly in Austria, especially in Vienna.
“This approach is sensible and successful. And I hope it will continue,” Schönborn stated.
One must not forget that about half a million Christians from the Middle East and Asia live in Austria, he noted. Ensuring they have a spiritual home within the Church was a major priority of his tenure, the cardinal said, adding that “I think that is also important for the future.”
Cardinal Schönborn is a close friend of the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope-Patriarch Tawadros II. The patriarch last visited Austria in May. The occasion was the 10th anniversary of the transfer of the Church of Our Lady of Victory in Vienna’s 15th district to the Copts. The patriarch presided over a festive Mass where Schönborn was the guest of honor. Tawadros once again expressed his gratitude for the gift of the church and for the Catholic Church’s openness toward their Coptic brothers and sisters in faith.
Speaking about the Coptic Church in Austria, Schönborn said in the interview, “I have experienced so many beautiful things with the Coptic Christians. When we pray together and look together toward Christ and the Mother of God, when we allow ourselves to be moved by the faithfulness of these people — then we simply have to say: We are truly brothers and sisters in faith. What separates us is incomparably less than what unites us.”
Cardinal Schönborn served as Archbishop of Vienna from 1995 until 2025, when he was succeeded by Archbishop Grünwidl.