VIENNA, Austria (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to promote a pastor who called Hurricane Katrina divine punishment for sin in New Orleans was criticized by Austrian priests and church groups on Sunday. The Vatican announced Saturday that the Pope has tapped the Rev. Gerhard Maria Wagner, 54, to be auxiliary bishop in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria province. Wagner caused a stir in 2005 when he was quoted as saying that he was convinced that the death and destruction of Hurricane Katrina earlier that year was “divine retribution” for tolerance of homosexuals and laid-back sexual attitudes in New Orleans.——Contact the news staff at [email protected]