(19 Jun 1998) Natural Sound
Pope John Paul II began his third visit to Austria on Friday morning.
He arrives this time in the midst of a crisis in the Austrian Roman Catholic church that critics say is partly the Vatican's fault.
A marching band hailed the arrival of Pope John Paul II's plane at Salzburg's Maxglan airport on Friday.
The flight arrived a few minutes behind schedule, but for the hundreds of Austrians preparing to greet him, he was just in time.
The 78-year-old pope was startled by a military salute of cannon shots.
He then moved slowly down the gangway, and used a cane to walk across a red carpet.
On hand to welcome him were Austrian President Thomas Klestil and Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, the archbishop of Vienna, who has been mentioned as a possible successor to the pope.
Speaking from a podium, John Paul II mentioned the European integration planned in the years ahead.
And he lauded Austria as model of openness and acceptance of a united Europe.
Some Austrians believe the Catholic hierarchy needs to institute significant reforms.
But that didn't stop the crowds giving a small, but warm welcome to the Pontiff.
Many of the banners read "We are with you."
Since the Pope was last in Austria 10 years ago, Austrian Catholics have led a movement demanding the church drop its requirement that priests be celibate, allow women into the priesthood and give greater voice to lay Catholics.
The Austrian church also has been rocked by sexual scandal.
Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer, accused of sexually molesting young boys, relinquished his duties in April.
In Vienna on Sunday, the pope is scheduled to beatify three people, including a nun, Sister Restituta Kafka, who was beheaded by the Nazis in 1943.
Beatification is the last formal step before possible sainthood.
Only a small number of people lined the route on which the pope was driven into downtown Salzburg, a center of European culture.
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