In her excellent article over the battles within the German hierarchy over Communion for remarried divorcees (“Mercy, marriage and money”, 2 November), Christa Pongratz-Lippitt also reports the case of the suspended Bishop of Limburg. The dismay felt by German Catholics is not only because of the astronomical sums spent on the bishop’s house but because Bishop Tebartz-van Elst is being investigated by the Hamburg public prosecutor for lying under oath, a criminal offence under the German criminal code (Strafgesetzbuch). There has been a development. This week the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported that the Hamburg court dealing with his case wishes to drop it in favour of issuing a fine. This would involve the agreement of the public prosecutor, who is sticking to h