UPDATE: Cardinal Schönborn's erroneous statement that Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil was crucified during the Easter Vigil was carried on ORF2 in Austria

Following the news reports of Cardinal Schönborn's Easter Vigil announcement that Fr. Thomas Uzhunnalil had been crucified by Islamist terrorists (very probably ISIS, or other affiliated Sunnis), a number of statements have been issued by the Salesian Order and the Archdiocese of Vienna. 

It is to be noted that the Archdiocese of Vienna does not retract the claim of Salzburg.com and Polish investigative journalist, Witold Gadowski, that the Cardinal did indeed make a public statement that the Indian priest was crucified. Cardinal Schönborn had also just returned from the Middle East, having been to Iraq. If the Cardinal did not make this public pronouncement, we would have heard from him with a press release - a direct quote. But we have not. Indeed, Mr. Gadowski firmly holds to his account of the Cardinal's claim. 

Austrian ORF2 confirms Cardinal Schönborn's statement regarding Fr. Tom 

But there is even more evidence. In fact, the Austrian news channel, ORF2 carried a report. I include a photo (inadvertently they use the name "John", but we know the reference is to Fr. Tom, as the rest of the text makes perfectly clear). The first paragraph of the above screenshot reads in English: 

Father John [Tom] in Yemen Crucified. Islamists in Yemen have made true their threat and have crucified the Catholic priest Father John [Tom] on Good Friday. Cardinal Schönborn announced this during his Easter Vigil address at St. Stephen's Cathedral.

We can therefore conclude that Cardinal Schönborn did indeed state publicly during the Easter Vigil that Fr. Thomas Uzhunnalil was crucified. 

All of this is clear evidence in the face of misleading information spread by (e.g.) the Catholic News Agency such as this: "the original reports were based on a statement Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna allegedly made during Easter vigil services". No, it was not "allegedly made" - it WAS made. 

Bishop Hinder, Fr. Tom's Ordinary for the region, according the the Archdiocese of Vienna, is alleged to believe that Fr. Tom is still alive: "so far no one has provided reliable evidence". Asia News carries a report. It should be noted however, that Bishop Hinder himself does not provide any details. Sadly, we simply do not know. The Asia News - and other official Catholic media - claim that Cardinal Schönborn has issued a clarification about his public announcement during the Easter Vigil. No he has not, for the reasons given above. 

Obviously we should hope and pray that Fr. Tom is somehow alive. But we should not also delude ourselves into wishful thinking. The truth must be sought, disinformation cast aside. Trying to downplay the grotesque and macabre evil that Islamism is a frightful self-deception. The danger of Islam must be confronted. 

A final note. One has to be very careful as to not just what the official Catholic media says; but, more importantly, what they do not say. Much of the official media's actions, motivations, and media spin is influenced by a false ecumenism towards the false religion of Islam. Remember this is the same media that tried - unsuccessfully - to hide the disaster of the Extraordinary and Ordinary Synod of the Family. The official Catholic media did not report the outrages, blasphemies and heresies being uttered and promoted by a number of bishops and cardinals. This is the same media that continues the disgraceful silence and coverup regarding the growing homosexual scandal in the Archdiocese of New York.