Schönborn insists he was not criticising Islam

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn (pictured) has “clarified” what he meant when he spoke in a homily on 12 September of the possibility of an “Islamic conquest of Europe”.

The homily was delivered in St Stephen’s Cathedral on the Feast of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was first introduced in 1683 in gratitude for the liberation of Vienna from the Ottomans. Cardinal Schönborn asked: “Will there be an Islamic conquest of Europe? Many Muslims hope so and say Europe is finished. And Europe is indeed about to gamble away its Christian heritage.”

His words immediately made world headlines and a storm of protests followed especially on social media. But in an update on the Vienna archdiocesan website and two further interviews in Kathpress, Cardinal Schönborn  said that his comments were not an attack on Muslims or refugees, adding that he was “in no way championing Christian values against Islam”. The homily was nothing to do with Islam or refugees, he added, but about the fact that Europeans were squandering their Christian heritage.

“It is clear that many Islamists would like to take advantage of our weakness but they are not responsible for it. We are,” he said.

“One must not take my homily to be a call to defend ourselves against the refugees,” he continued. “This was not at all my intention. The opportunity for a Christian renewal of Europe lies in our hands if we look at and come to Christ, spread his Gospel and deal with people, strangers included, as he has taught us – both lovingly and responsibly.”