Disgusted Catholics leaving the church in Austria.

ST. POLTEN, Austria -- The discovery of large collections of pornography on computers at the diocesan seminary here last year and recent allegations of child sexual abuse by a priest well known for his newspaper columns on spiritual life have spurred an exodus of Catholics from the Austrian church.

The Associated Press reports that applications to withdraw from parishes in nearby Vienna were up 36 percent in July and another 40 percent in August. By August 31, the Vienna archdiocese said, 10,709 people had left.

"We've had ... more and more scandals, negative headlines, and from many people, cries of 'We've had enough!'" Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schonborn wrote in a Vienna church newspaper in late September.

Eight out of 10 Austrians, about 6.5 million people, identify themselves as Catholic. Registered as church members when they are baptized, Austrians must apply to the government to leave the church because members are responsible for state church taxes, which average between $300 and $400 a year. Until this summer, the tax was cited as the primary reason for leaving the church.

The Vatican and police are conducting separate investigations of the seminary case, which included child pornography and photos of seminarians fondling one another, as well as the allegations against the priest. St. Polten Bishop Kurt Krenn resigned on September 30.