A Catholic priest in Austria confessed to producing methamphetamine in his parish rectory. The case came to light after authorities arrested the 38-year-old priest along with a 30-year-old Iraqi national last week, reported CNA DeutschGerman-language agency of EWTN News.
Both suspects are currently in pretrial detention. The priest, originally from Poland, had been serving in the Austrian diocese of Sankt Pölten since 2021.
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A police spokesperson told media that investigators from the State Criminal Police Bureau searched the rectory following an order from the prosecutor’s office. During the raid, chemicals for the production of illegal drugs, as well as laboratory equipment, were seized. Authorities say they suspect the drugs were intended for sale.
CNA Deutsch reported that the Diocese of Sankt Pölten responded to the accusations by suspending the priest and informing local media that the priest was prohibited from carrying out any pastoral activities within the diocese.
Since the accused is a priest of the Archdiocese of Warsaw (Poland), the leadership of the Catholic Church in Poland has been informed of the incident. A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Warsaw said to the Austrian broadcaster ORF: “The diocesan authorities will soon take the necessary legal and canonical measures, in coordination with the diocese in Austria.”
Initial findings suggest that drug production was in its early stages when authorities intervened. Police investigations are ongoing.
The case has attracted significant attention in Austria, with some media outlets comparing it to the fictional plot of the American television series Breaking Bad.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Anian Christoph Wimmer
Anian Christoph Wimmer, a multilingual Australian with Bavarian roots, is the editor-in-chief of CNA Deutsch. He held senior positions at Australia’s SBS and was editor-in-chief of the historic Münchner Kirchenzeitung. Graduated in Philosophy and Chinese Studies from the University of Melbourne, Anian Christoph Wimmer was on the jury for the Catholic Media Award of the German Bishops’ Conference and was an honorary researcher in Communications at the University of Melbourne. He has served on the Board of Directors of Caritas in Munich.