Scottish Catholic Observer

Pope Francis has authorised a leave of absence for a German bishop at the centre of controversy regarding expenditure for his residence (above) and diocesan centre.

“A situation has been created in which Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst currently cannot exercise his episcopal ministry,” a Vatican statement released today said.

Pope Francis, after being ‘continually, broadly and objectively informed’ about the situation in the Diocese of Limburg, has authorised ‘a period of leave outside the diocese,’ effective immediately, the statement said.

The priest whom Bishop Tebartz-van Elst (below) had selected as his vicar general will administer the diocese in his absence, the Vatican said.

The bishop been in the headlines for months over the remodeling and building project in Limburg, which is estimated to have cost about £40 million. German media have dubbed Bishop Tebartz-van Elst the ‘luxury bishop.’

Pope Francis discussed the situation last Thursday with Archbishop Robert Zollitsch, president of the German bishops’ conference, and with Bishop Tebartz-van Elst himself on Monday.

In early September, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, sent retired to visit the diocese to promote peace between the bishop and some of the diocese’s priests concerned about the cost of projects within it.

After the cardinal’s visit, the bishop agreed to publish figures about the construction project and cooperate with a commission established by the bishops’ conference to audit the project and examine how decisions were made. In most cases, church law requires consultation with a diocesan finance council before large sums of diocesan money can be spent.

Bishop Tebartz-van Elst will remain outside the diocese until the results of the audit and ‘the connected verification of responsibility in the matter’ are known.

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