A Catholic parish located in Vienna, Austria is scheduled to host an incredibly sacrilegious and disrespectful event in the middle of a cemetery, all with the approval of its priest. While I firmly believe that the Lord Jesus Christ founded the Catholic Church and that He has, is, and always will preserve it and the truth passed down through the Apostles, corruption is clearly spreading like a cancer throughout His bride. And it needs to be surgically removed.
What I mean is that the leadership of the Catholic Church needs to step up, quash events like this, and take action to curb priests who have been bewitched by modernism. If that means defrocking, excommunication, or some other form of discipline, then so be it. We must boldly defend the ancient faith that God has entrusted to our care. That is especially true of the priesthood and those who have received the blessing of becoming bishops.
The Viennese Cemeteries describe the event as follows: “Experience a silent disco in one of Vienna’s most impressive Art Nouveau buildings: the Church of St. Borromeo at Vienna’s Central Cemetery. On April 17, the historic church interior will transform for one evening into an atmospheric, tranquil, yet energetic dance venue.”
Churches are sacred spaces where God’s people gather together to offer up the sacrifice of the Mass. The consecrated Eucharist, the true body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, His real true presence, dwells within the tabernacle of the sanctuary. It is a holy place. It is not for parties and debauchery. Holding an event inside a Church is profane. When this priest allows such an event to take place, he commits a grave sin.
A pair of DJs will perform at the same time on two different channels. The playlist for the event will include hip hop music, electronic, and pop music, along with a smattering of alternative, indie, and rock. Tickets to the event cost $17.
“Without compromising respect and reverence for those who are grieving, we want to create special event formats that foster interaction and a sense of community,” Renate Niklas, the managing director of Friedhofe Wien GmbH, said. Organizers intend the “silent disco” to help folks “rediscover the place, overcome their reservations, and become more aware of the historic surroundings,” she continued.
Parish priest Father Jan Soroka sanctioned the event. “Even a silent disco can show, in its own way, that faith is not just about silence and reflection, but also about lightheartedness and a zest for life,” Soroka went on to say. I can think of plenty of ways to get that same effect without desecrating a sacred, holy space.
“Where people laugh, dance, and are there for one another, the Church becomes tangible,” the priest added.
Fr. Soroka must not know what canon law says about sacred places. Canon 121 says, “Only those things which serve the exercise or promotion of worship, piety, or religion are permitted in a sacred place; anything not consonant with the holiness of the place is forbidden. In an individual case, however, the ordinary can permit other uses which are not contrary to the holiness of the place.”
I don’t think a rave or dance party fits that very clear description. Canon 1211 says, “Sacred places are violated by gravely injurious actions done in them with scandal to the faithful, actions which, in the judgment of the local ordinary, are so grave and contrary to the holiness of the place that it is not permitted to carry on worship in them until the damage is repaired by a penitential rite according to the norm of the liturgical books.”
Fr. Soroka needs correction and must answer for sanctioning this event. The Church should remind parishioners that Churches are sacred, that our faith and practice connect us to Christ, and that as the place where we offer Mass, we must preserve them from profanity.
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