The Vatican has suspended a senior German Church leader dubbed the "bishop of bling" by the media over his alleged lavish spending.

The Bishop of Limburg, Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, is accused of spending over 31m euros (£26m; $42m) on renovating his official residence.

The Vatican said it deemed "appropriate... a period of leave from the diocese" for the bishop.

The suspension comes two days after he met the Pope to discuss the scandal.

"A situation has been created in which the bishop can no longer exercise his episcopal duties", a Vatican statement said.

The bishop - and his spending habits - had become infamous in Germany, where many people pay tax to the Catholic Church.

Calls were made for the Bishop to resign after he was accused of lying under oath about his spending.
The Bishop of Limburg Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst There is no surprise in Rome that the Vatican has ordered the Bishop's suspension from his duties, correspondents say

He was criticised for a first-class flight to India to visit the poor.

But his official residence is at the heart of the criticism, after originally being costed at 5.5m euros.

German media are reporting that the residence had been fitted with a bath that cost 15,000 euros, a conference table for 25,000 euros and a private chapel that cost 2.9m euros.

The allegations have stoked controversy among Catholics in Germany, where five centuries ago Martin Luther launched the Reformation in Europe in response to what he said were excesses and abuses within the Church.

The BBC's Alan Johnston, in Rome, says all this was bound to play badly with the new Pope, who has repeatedly expressed his disapproval of senior clerics whose life-styles seem a little too lavish.

There is no surprise in Rome that the Vatican has ordered the Bishop's suspension from his duties while the spending row is investigated, our correspondent adds.

A spokesman for the German Chancellor who is the daughter of a Protestant pastor, Steffen Seibert said that she had expressed "hope that there will be an answer for believers, for people's confidence in their Church".

In his absence, the Bishop's diocese will be administered by a vicar.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24638430

I wonder who would sack or suspend our own private jet cruising charlatans.

I know that this pope would make this step and that is the best he could do.

Et tu bishop
*in Julius Caesar's voice*

With the exception of his flying first class, i think the judgement was just.

uj_sizzle: With the exception of his flying first class, i think the judgement was just.

And how do you justify someone that is supposed to be a humble servant of Christ flying first class with church money

Pastor Kun:

And how do you justify someone that is supposed to be a humble servant of Christ flying first class with church money

So his being a humble servant of God is reason why he should fly economic class Why doesn't the Pope do that too?

uj_sizzle:
So his being a humble servant of God is reason why he should fly economic class Why doesn't the Pope do that too?

when you read the full story than you will understand it was not only that he fly first class, he want to live the same life like the so called great man on God in nigeria, and that is not what it mean to be a christian.

uj_sizzle:
So his being a humble servant of God is reason why he should fly economic class Why doesn't the Pope do that too?

Is he better than the church members whose money he is spending that fly economy class

nora544:

when you read the full story than you will understand it was not only that he fly first class, he want to live the same life like the so called great man on God in nigeria, and that is not what it mean to be a christian.

I did say the flying first class shouldn't be a reason for suspension, everyother thing can stand.


Tell me, the bible says 'thou shalt not judge' and yet here you are doing just that. Would you say you're a Christian now?

Pastor Kun:

Is he better than the church members whose money he is spending that fly economy class

Is he worse than the church members whose money he's spending that fly first class?

Do you suppose he should fly like a 'poor' man because he was going to visit the poor in India, even when there was means to go in comfort?

uj_sizzle:
I did say the flying first class shouldn't be a reason for suspension, everyother thing can stand.


Tell me, the bible says 'thou shalt not judge' and yet here you are doing just that. Would you say you're a Christian now?

I am a christan and what you say is not okay please read this than you will un derstand but i know you belong to one of this penecostal churches where you hear this from your pastor but this is not right.

http://www.johnandellenduncan.com/jd_judgenot.htm

uj_sizzle: With the exception of his flying first class, i think the judgement was just.

The issue wasn't cos he flew 1st class. Mind you,the intent of that trip was to visit "de poor in India"
He should have humbled himself,flew 2nd class & donate de extra money to de poor.
As christians,we should emulate Jesus,who,being in de form of God,did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,but made Himself of no reputation,taking de form of a bondservant, and coming in de likeness of men (phil 2 vs 6-7)

nora544:

I am a christan and what you say is not okay please read this than you will un derstand but i know you belong to one of this penecostal churches where you hear this from your pastor but this is not right.

http://www.johnandellenduncan.com/jd_judgenot.htm

See, there you go again. You've placed me as an MOG fed pentecostal because I don't subscribe to your views.

When i made that 'judge not' statement, it was to pass a message across. Christianity has a lot more to do with heart of man, than his physical life. Since only God can see the heart, who are you to say what he is or is not?

You call a man a Christian because you like what you see, not because it's the standard for measurement.
For all you know, you could be less Christ-like than the gay next door
Like I said, judge not.


Btw, I'm an Anglican and no one feeds me off the pulpit.

njideoby:
The issue wasn't cos he flew 1st class. Mind you,the intent of that trip was to visit "de poor in India"
He should have humbled himself,flew 2nd class & donate de extra money to de poor.
As christians,we should emulate Jesus,who,being in de form of God,did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,but made Himself of no reputation,taking de form of a bondservant, and coming in de likeness of men (phil 2 vs 6-7)

Would you have done that after you've made plans 'from your heart' what to give to the poor, and then mapped out money to fly there comfortably?

The same bible teaches that we give from our heart, so if he had done just that, I don't see what the problem is here.

when will our own bling pastor, orisejefor be suspended?

uj_sizzle:
See, there you go again. You've placed me as an MOG fed pentecostal because I don't subscribe to your views.

When i made that 'judge not' statement, it was to pass a message across. Christianity has a lot more to do with heart of man, than his physical life. Since only God can see the heart, who are you to say what he is or is not?

You call a man a Christian because you like what you see, not because it's the standard for measurement.
For all you know, you could be less Christ-like than the gay next door
Like I said, judge not.


Btw, I'm an Anglican and no one feeds me off the pulpit.

I know the hole story about this man and he waist church money to renovate the house where he live or you feel that 31 Million euro is nothing because when he start he told that it will cost about 3 Million euro to his church.

nora544:

I know the hole story about this man and he waist church money to renovate the house where he live or you feel that 31 Million euro is nothing because when he start he told that it will cost about 3 Million euro to his church.

Read my first comment again.

uj_sizzle:
Is he worse than the church members whose money he's spending that fly first class?

Do you suppose he should fly like a 'poor' man because he was going to visit the poor in India, even when there was means to go in comfort?

The bible makes it clear that there should be no discrimination btw the rich and the poor. Is it too much for the bishop to humble himself and fly economy

Pastor Kun:

The bible makes it clear that there should be no discrimination btw the rich and the poor. Is it too much for the bishop to humble himself and fly economy

You make reference to that passage out of context.

Btw i asked if the Pope flies Economy, or Business class. Does he even take the regular commercial flight at all? Who funds his trips? Who funds the Vatican to start with??

uj_sizzle:
You make reference to that passage out of context.

Btw i asked if the Pope flies Economy, or Business class. Does he even take the regular commercial flight at all? Who funds his trips? Who funds the Vatican to start with??

I know were you are heading but two wrongs don't make a right. Infact there is something wrong with the grandiose way the catholic church and most major christian denominations operate today but that is a debate for another thread.

Pastor Kun:

I know were you are heading but two wrongs don't make a right. Infact there is something wrong with the grandiose way the catholic church and most major christian denominations operate today but that is a debate for another thread.

CATHOLIC CHURCH OPERATES IN A GRANDIOSE WAY? HOPE YOU DONT MIND EXPATIATING

chukwudi44: CATHOLIC CHURCH OPERATES IN A GRANDIOSE WAY? HOPE YOU DONT MIND EXPATIATING

Trust you to show up on any thread Catholic church is mentioned Are you honestly saying you are not aware of the grandiose nature of the Vatican

Pastor Kun:

Trust you to show up on any thread Catholic church is mentioned Are you honestly saying you are not aware of the grandiose nature of the Vatican

Bros am ignorant kindly educate me

Pastor Kun:

I know were you are heading but two wrongs don't make a right. Infact there is something wrong with the grandiose way the catholic church and most major christian denominations operate today but that is a debate for another thread.

Pastor Kun:

Trust you to show up on any thread Catholic church is mentioned Are you honestly saying you are not aware of the grandiose nature of the Vatican

Story don dey change small small.

Me sef dey ignorant o...

@chukwudi
Story

vedaxcool: when will our own bling pastor, orisejefor be suspended?

The man is chairman/CEO. He is answerable to himself alone.the same goes to the other jet flying charlatans.

This is why I contine to respect the catholic church. At least someone calls someone to order.

italo:


Story don dey change small small.

Me sef dey ignorant o...

I acknowledge the fact that the current Pope is trying to make some reforms in the church.

Good move. I doubt most Nigerian Pentecostal pastors will have anything positive to say about it.

Bergoglio is interesting. It is good to keep watching and to see how honest and well intended he is. For me I will like him to do a "Vatican III" (or Lateran whatever) and undo a lot of mad baggage in the Roman Catholic church denomination.

As to the matter at hand, yes individual catholic priests may not match the "Daddy G.O.s" of today but the Vatican itself and the "popes" (and even some bishops) historically are far far far above the level of the modern Daddy GOs.

Heck, even the "robes" and stuff are copied from what the emperors and "elites" of the Roman empire used to wear. Before we talk of the "titles" especially of the "pope" ---- some of those titles being essentially anti-Christ!

Here how one former Roman Catholic priest put it!

"How can anyone read Jesus' demands that his disciples shun titles of honor, and never suspect that, if Jesus considered the titles "Father" and "Teacher" objectionable, how much more would he object to the use of titles like "Monsignor" (which is French for "My Lord" ), "Your Excellency", "Your Eminence", "Your Holiness", "The Holy Father", "Supreme Pontiff", and perhaps most presumptuous of all, "Vicar of ( i.e. stand–in for ) Christ", the equivalent of "Vice–Messiah"!

How can Jesus possibly smile on popes wearing robes and crowns that even the most powerful leaders in today's world would find embarrassing in their pompous arrogance? The papal "tiara" isn't just a crown, it's three crowns in one! And is there a head of state anywhere in the twentieth century who had the arrogance to have eight mere mortals carry them about on a royal "sedia"? Did you know that in Pius XII's day, it was considered an exclusive privilege for cardinals to be allowed to kiss the pope's foot and hand? Mere archbishops only kissed the pope's foot and knee; and abbots only got to kiss the Holy Father's foot?"

http://www.liberalslikechrist.org/Catholic/PopesvsChrist-1.html

okpurukata:

The man is chairman/CEO. He is answerable to himself alone.the same goes to the other jet flying charlatans.

This is why I contine to respect the catholic church. At least someone calls someone to order.

True talk sha!

They should make him take vows of poverty and serve with the nuns in impoverished countries.