Innsbruck: An experiment has failed

The Catholic youth centre "Z 6" in Innsbruck's Zollerstraße was closed on the orders of Bishop Paulus Rusch.

In recent weeks, the educators and the bishop had come to profound disagreements over fundamental issues. According to the bishop, the views expressed in "Z 6" were "no longer in line with church teaching". For example, the centre's management had granted young people absolute freedom of conscience without at the same time recognising objective norms and had also permitted sexual relations before marriage.

According to information from the Innsbruck diocese, Rusch had offered to discuss all issues with the staff at a meeting in the home, but this offer had been rejected.

Z 6" was mainly frequented by young people from working-class circles, among whom there was also friction. The two Innsbruck rock gangs "Outsiders" and "Riders", who were recently arrested by the police for making dangerous threats and blackmail, were regular, but not always welcome, visitors to "Z 6". They were banned from the premises several times by the educators because of their behaviour. In their work, the priest Dr Meinrad Schumacher and his staff were primarily concerned with involving the so-called fringe groups in Christian youth work.