Nordic Catholics seek support over Oslo scandal

The head of the Nordic Bishops’ Conference has urged continued Western backing for Catholic parishes and dioceses across Scandinavia in the wake of a financial scandal in Norway’s Oslo Diocese, whose bishop faces charges in connection with falsifying church membership lists, writes Jonathan Luxmoore.

“The Church is developing quickly and dynamically here – so it needs material and spiritual support from other Catholics in Europe,” said the conference’s Carmelite president, Bishop Anders Arborelius of Stockholm. “While many immigrants have settled recently in our countries, they aren’t in a position to support their churches financially. We’re a poor Church in a rich set of countries.” The Swedish bishop was speaking after debating responses to the Oslo Diocese ­crisis during a plenary in the German city of Essen. A bishops’ conference spokesman told The Tablet the Oslo scandal was linked to state funding of churches according to membership, a system not reflected elsewhere.