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Vatican Suspends German Bishop Known for Spending Vatican Suspends German Bishop Accused of Lavish Spending on Himself
(about 5 hours later)
BERLIN — Pope Francis, who has made humility and modesty his hallmark, sent a swift and clear message to Roman Catholics around the world on Wednesday that he wants all representatives of the church to do the same. He suspended a German bishop accused of spending millions on lavish renovations to his residence, and forced the chief administrator of the bishop’s diocese into early retirement. BERLIN — Pope Francis, who has made humility and modesty his hallmarks, sent a swift and clear message to Roman Catholics around the world on Wednesday, suspending a German bishop accused of spending millions on lavish renovations to his residence and forcing the chief administrator of the bishop’s diocese into early retirement.
The bishop, Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, of Limburg, Germany, was reported to have allowed costs for his residence and other church buildings to run to more than $41 million. The project drew ridicule in the German news media for luxuries like a $20,000 bathtub, a $1.1 million landscaped garden and plans for an 800-square-foot fitness room — as well as a cross to be suspended from the ceiling of a personal chapel that necessitated the opening of a renovated roof. The bishop, Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, 53, of Limburg, Germany, was reported to have allowed the costs of renovating his residence and other church buildings to balloon to more than $41 million. The projects drew ridicule in the German news media for luxuries like a $20,000 bathtub, a $1.1 million landscaped garden and plans for an 800-square-foot fitness room — as well as a cross to be suspended from the ceiling of a personal chapel, which necessitated the reopening of a renovated roof.
The pope acted just two days after receiving the bishop in Rome, where he was summoned to explain himself. The Vatican issued a statement saying that the pope had been “comprehensively and objectively” informed about what was going on in the diocese and that Bishop Tebartz-van Elst “currently cannot exercise his office.” The pope acted just two days after receiving Bishop Tebartz-van Elst in Rome, where he was summoned to explain himself. The Vatican issued a statement saying that Francis had been “comprehensively and objectively” informed about the events in the diocese and that Bishop Tebartz-van Elst “currently cannot exercise his office.”
It added that the Holy See considered it “advisable” for the bishop to spend an unspecified time away from Limburg. His duties will be assumed by a deacon, Wolfgang Rösch, who was already scheduled to become the diocese’s chief administrator at the end of the year. The current chief, Franz Kaspar, 75, a confidante of the bishop, will now retire immediately, two and a half months early, the Vatican said. The statement added that the Holy See considered it “advisable” for the bishop to spend an unspecified time away from Limburg. His duties will be assumed by a deacon, Wolfgang Rösch, who was already scheduled to become the diocese’s chief administrator at the end of the year. The current chief, Franz Kaspar, 75, a confidant of the bishop, will retire immediately, two and a half months early, the Vatican said.
Bishop Tebartz-van Elst’s lifestyle and stern manner had been the cause of despair for months among many German Catholics. The pope’s decision to suspend him suggested that Francis will enforce his values across the church hierarchy. The pope has chosen to live in a spartan guesthouse in the Vatican, rather than the opulent apartments his predecessors used, and he has said that bishops should not live “like princes.” The pope’s decision to suspend Bishop Tebartz-van Elst lifted spirits among Germany’s Catholics and reinforced indications that he will enforce his values throughout the church hierarchy. Francis has chosen to live in a spartan guesthouse in the Vatican, rather than in the opulent apartments his predecessors used, and he has said that bishops should not live “like princes.”
“His decision signals that the pope deems pastoral life and moral examples important, not an accessory,” said Alberto Melloni, a Vatican historian and director of the John XXIII Foundation for Religious Studies, a liberal Catholic research institute in Bologna, Italy. “His decision signals that the pope deems pastoral life and moral examples important, not an accessory,” said Alberto Melloni, a Vatican historian and the director of the John XXIII Foundation for Religious Studies, a liberal Catholic research institute in Bologna, Italy.
The pope is signaling that living the right kind of humble life “is more important than managing the Curia in a more efficient way,” he said, referring to the Vatican bureaucracy. Francis is signaling that living the right kind of humble life “is more important than managing the Curia in a more efficient way,” Mr. Melloni said, referring to the Vatican bureaucracy.
“It pertains to the reform of the church, not just of the Curia,” Mr. Melloni added. “A manager could have reformed or re-engineered the Curia, but the conclave chose a man who distinguishes himself for his human values. It’s the difference between the head of police and the mayor.” “It pertains to the reform of the church, not just of the Curia,” he said. “A manager could have reformed or re-engineered the Curia, but the conclave chose a man who distinguishes himself for his human values.”
Commentators noted that Francis’s immediate predecessor, the German-born Benedict XVI, removed several bishops for various reasons. In 2012, for instance, the bishop of the Sicilian dioceses of Trapani was removed in the wake of a financial administrative scandal. But Pope John Paul II did not take any public action when an American bishop, William Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., drew wide criticism for a luxurious residential suite he had built for himself in 2002, displacing six nuns from a convent building. Commentators noted that Francis’s immediate predecessor, the German-born Benedict XVI, removed several bishops, some of whom were involved in financial scandals. But Pope John Paul II, who preceded Benedict, did not take any public action when an American bishop, William Murphy, of Rockville Centre, N.Y., drew widespread criticism for a luxurious residential suite he had built for himself in 2002, displacing six nuns from a convent building.
The Limburg scandal first reached the Vatican in August, and a cardinal, Giovanni Lajolo, was dispatched to look into it. As a result, the German Bishops Conference appointed a commission to investigate the spending affair, amid conflicting reports over the chain of responsibility for approving the expense of the project and about how much of the blame rested with the bishop. The Limburg scandal first reached the Vatican in August, and a cardinal, Giovanni Lajolo, was sent to look into it. The German Bishops’ Conference appointed a commission to investigate the spending affair, amid conflicting reports on the chain of responsibility for approving expenses for the project and disagreement about how much blame rested with the bishop.
The spending prompted outrage among the 682,000 Roman Catholics in the Limburg diocese, which includes much of the rural Rhineland as well as Frankfurt, Germany’s financial center. It has also led to renewed questions about church wealth in Germany, the country of Martin Luther and the Reformation. The spending prompted outrage among the 682,000 Roman Catholics in the diocese, which includes much of rural Rhineland as well as Frankfurt, Germany’s financial center. It has also led to renewed questions about church wealth in Germany, the home of the Reformation and a country where established religions are supported by taxes collected by the government.
Carlo Marroni, a Vatican expert with the Italian financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore, noted in a telephone interview that the pope “is intervening personally and swiftly on issues that worry his faithful.” Carlo Marroni, a Vatican expert at the Italian financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, said in a telephone interview that the pope was “intervening personally and swiftly on issues that worry his faithful.”
Francis has made simplicity an emblem of his papacy. He chose the name of the medieval saint known in Italy as the “poverello” (the poor man), and has said that along with St. Augustine, St. Francis is closest to his soul. In a recent trip to Assisi, Francis called for greater sobriety and urged the church to strip itself from the sense of comfort. Francis has made simplicity an emblem of his papacy. He chose the name of the medieval saint known in Italy as the “poverello” (poor man), and he has said that along with St. Augustine, St. Francis is closest to his soul. In a recent trip to Assisi, where St. Francis lived, the pope called for greater sobriety and urged the church to strip itself of the sense of comfort.
The Catholic church in Germany, as in many other countries, has grappled for years with declining membership and allegations of sexual abuse by priests, as well as many Catholics’ rejection of the church’s more conservative stance on abortion, remarriage after divorce and the role of women. The Catholic Church in Germany, as in many other countries, has grappled for years with declining membership and allegations of sexual abuse by priests, as well as many Catholics’ rejection of its more conservative stances on abortion, remarriage after divorce and the role of women.
German church experts said the bishop would probably never return to his post, even though the Vatican presented his suspension as temporary. German church experts said Bishop Tebartz-van Elst was unlikely to return to his post, even though the Vatican presented his suspension as temporary.
“Had he directly forced the bishop to step down or removed him from office, that would have been swiftly condemned,” Thomas Schüller, a theologian at the University of Münster, told the German news agency DPA.“Had he directly forced the bishop to step down or removed him from office, that would have been swiftly condemned,” Thomas Schüller, a theologian at the University of Münster, told the German news agency DPA.
Bishop Tebartz-van Elst became Germany’s youngest bishop when he was installed by Pope Benedict in January 2008. He was ordained a priest in 1985 and studied in France and at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana in the late 1980s. His leadership style as bishop created dissent in his diocese, and several thousand congregants had already signed a petition asking for his removal before the spending scandal broke. Bishop Tebartz-van Elst became Germany’s youngest bishop when he was installed by Benedict in January 2008. He was ordained in 1985 and studied in France and at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana in the late 1980s. His leadership style as bishop created dissent in his diocese, and several thousand congregants had already signed a petition asking for his removal before the spending scandal broke.
The bishop has said in his defense that the reported spending on remodeling in Limburg covered 10 individual projects, some of them involving buildings governed by landmark preservation laws that drove up costs, and that his private quarters were a relatively small part of the work.The bishop has said in his defense that the reported spending on remodeling in Limburg covered 10 individual projects, some of them involving buildings governed by landmark preservation laws that drove up costs, and that his private quarters were a relatively small part of the work.

Reporting was contributed by Melissa Eddy  from Berlin, and Gaia Pianigiani from Rome.

Melissa Eddy contributed reporting from Berlin, and Gaia Pianigiani from Rome.