Pope accepts resignation of German 'bling bishop'

The announcement from the Vatican on Wednesday said Pope Francis had accepted Tebartz-van Elst's resignation.

Tebartz-van Elst, who served as bishop of the diocese of Limburg, announced in October that the cost of a renovation project on his residence and offices would be 31 million euros ($42.7 million), far beyond the original estimate of 5.5 million euros.

Germans were outraged over the possible misuse of church funds, which come from donations and a special "church tax" paid by registered parishioners to their respective denominations.

There was also an outcry that Tebartz-van Elst may have flown first class on a trip to India where he visited impoverished communities. He paid a 20,000 euro fine for making false statements in court regarding the flight.

Pope Francis had temporarily relieved Tebartz-van Elst from his duties after the two met in October but had not accepted the bishop's resignation – which was offered at the time – until now.

In a statement, the Vatican said Tebartz-van Elst would be given a new post "at an opportune time" and that it hoped Catholics in Limburg would "rediscover a climate of charity and reconciliation."

Last month, a report in the German news magazine Spiegel suggested an internal church commission investigation on Tebartz-van Elst had found evidence that the cost of the new residence was even higher than 31 million euros.

In addition, money had been siphoned off from at least one church foundation within the bishop's diocese to finance the building and renovation project, according to the report.

Manfred Grothe, an apostolic administrator from Paderborn, is to take charge of the diocese of Limburg until a replacement for Tebartz-van Elst's is named.

Want me to tell you about grinning Joel Osteen’s 10 million dollar estate or the slew of other protestant “preachers” who have made an absolute fortune off milking their gullible flock?

Do so if you want, but I beat you to it:

Joel Osteen's $10.5 Million Mansion
Furtick Prepares His Church for News Report About His 16,000 SF "Not That Great of a House" Mansion

Feel free to post others and I will include them in the YBPDLN archives.

In a statement, the Vatican said Tebartz-van Elst would be given a new post "at an opportune time" and that it hoped Catholics in Limburg would "rediscover a climate of charity and reconciliation."

The people are supposed to put up with the corruption that exists within Catholicism because the guy has been *reassigned* and that takes care of the problem?

NOT!

Until Catholics stop defending the indefensible, the immorality and corruption will continue.

Problem is, that would make them reformers, trying to correct error within Catholicism, making them like Luther, the very man they most despise.

So they're forced into accepting the Church as it is and defending the indefensible.

Yes, he’s finally out; and while I have no ask to grind for or against this bishop, those who are cheering should at least know what is going on. And, indeed, maybe everyone does, but they just happen to view the Catholic Church in a different way that I do.

This bishop, unlike most of the other German bishops, is a conservative bishop that is despised by the media and most of his fellow liberal German bishops––most of whom are as far left as any other Catholics in the Church. There is a 60 year history of this diocese (limberg) of almost total capitulation to modernism/progressivism. It is unlike any other diocese in Europe, if not the world. The former bishop (Bishop Franz Kamphaus) of this diocese actually dictated to John Paul II who was fearful of removing him for fear of a schism in that part of the world. When Pope Benedict appointed Tebartz van Elst, the media and the liberal bishop set out to destroy someone who they considered no less than an infidel in their midst.

The issue involving the episcopal “mansion” was completely distorted by the media. The $31 M figure that is often thrown around included the costs involving a number of other related structures, including a diocesan center and other buildings. Moreover, the construction (actually reconstruction as it was a former episcopal quarters that went unused for many years and had to be renovated) was handled by a committee (not the bishop), and it had commenced years before he was appointed. There are some very points of view from more conservative Catholic sites (e.g. http://www.crisismagazine.com/2014/the-real-scandal-in-germany) that are generally ignored. All that I have read paint a very different view of this matter.

But there is no disagreement in the fact that this is a bishop who the German Bishops Conference considers a “Ratzingerarian” and they have been doing everything in their power to oust him since he was installed. Archbishop Mueller, who did support him, was his last hope. Obviously that didn’t work out so well. But when you recognize that Tebartz van Elst was one of the few bishops in Germany who has come out publicly against homosexual marriages and for continuing a strict (Catholic) position on marriage, divorce and receiving the sacraments. His departure will be a loss for those who were hoping (and some times almost believing) that the Church may still turn around. So cheer on if you wish, but at least know what side of the street you are rooting to succeed.

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