Limburg bishop removed

The POPE has permanently removed a German bishop following an investigation by the German bishops.

The Vatican said on Wednesday that the inquiry found Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst of Limburg could no longer exercise his ministry and Francis had accepted his resignation, which he had offered in October.

Bishop Tebartz-van Elst was dubbed the “bishop of bling” in the media after details of the €31m refurbishment of his residence appeared in the press.

Pope Francis ordered him to take time out from his diocese in October pending the inquiry. In November the bishop admitted to two counts of perjury.

Manfred Grothe, an auxiliary bishop in Paderborn, will act as an apostolic administrator, the Vatican said, adding that Pope Francis now hoped for a “climate of charity and reconciliation” in the Limburg Diocese.