The bishops have issued a statement on the elections of the parish councils in Austria, due to be held on 18 March 2007. They appeal to Catholics to make themselves available to perform this “valuable service” and to participate in the elections in which some 30,000 persons will be elected for five years, thus making “an important contribution to the transmission of the faith and the promotion of communion predicated on life”. With particular regard to this aspect, during his press conference, Cardinal Schönborn declared: “What would Austria be without its over 3,000 parish communities and their network of love for God and for their neighbour? How much poorer our country would be without the life of the parishes and without the wonderful commitment of many faithful!”.
