Austria: Catholic church fined for phone texting

VIENNA (AP) — Austria's Roman Catholic church has learned its lesson. Mass is OK. Mass texting is not.

A diocese in the southern city of Graz says it has been found guilty of contravening Austria's telecommunications law by sending mass texts to the cellphones of followers asking them to pay overdue membership fees.

Members of recognized religions in Austria must pay so-called "church taxes" or opt out of membership. For a Catholic, non-payment would mean no right to church sacraments.

Diocese official Hertha Ferk was quoted by the Der Standard newspaper on Tuesday as saying the diocese has agreed to pay a fine that is under 10,000 euros ($13,475).

A court took up the case after complaints from some of the 17,000 church members in arrears who received the text last year.

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Wallaby sull'allentato in Austria _ sì, Austria

VIENNA (AP)-volunteers are looking for a pair of kangaroos hopping through the Austria — Yes, Austria.

Marsupials like kangaroos, which are smaller than "roos" and mostly found in Australia, escaped from a farm in the countryside of Upper Austria, about 180 kilometers (about 110 miles) northwest of Vienna. Thursday was the third day of searching to find them.

There are actually three Wallabies on the loose — Gabrielle Schrammel owner says that the female has a joey in the pouch.

The Austrians often express irritation at being confused for Australians abroad, meant for the Australia occasionally surfaces in this central European Alpine country.

Those souvenir shops of Vienna do not selling t-shirts with the slogan "kangaroos in Austria" may be necessary to initiate a recall campaign.

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