Wednesday, October 23- Pope Francis expels German “luxury bishop” from his diocese after scandal over £26m (31M euro) renovation of his residence.
Pope Francis has ordered the German Roman Catholic bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst known as the “luxury bishop” for spending some 31 million euros ($42.70 million) on a residence to leave his diocese for an unspecified period, the Vatican said on Wednesday. This announcement came after the “luxury bishop” met the Pope Francis at Vatican few days back.
The Vatican statement said the bishop “was currently not in a position to carry out his episcopal ministry” and that he was ordered to leave the diocese while an investigation and audit into cost over-runs is held.
The diocese will be administered in the bishop’s absence by a vicar.
Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst who is also known as “Bishop of Bling” was under intense pressure to resign after it emerged that he had spent around $42 million on a sumptuous diocesan residence in Limburg, a small city in western Germany near Frankfurt. It was reported that he spent $20,000 for a bathtub.
His luxury residence includes offices, his own private apartments, living quarters for nuns, and a private chapel, as well as conference halls and a museum.
Pope Francis is best known for his humility and for his thoughts for helping poors. He live in a modest Vatican guesthouse rather than the Vatican’s grand apostolic apartments. He is stressing the importance of humility and serving the poor in many occasions continuously.
It is considered as Good action from Pope Francis to prove that he is NOT hypocrite. It seems he is doing his best to live according his own words.