Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst: "The Holy See considers it appropriate to authorise a period of stay outside the diocese."

Rush to judgment? Limburgers protested the

renovation of the bishop's residence.

MSM headlines claim the Bishop was suspended.*

Ousted? Run out of town?  Exiled?  Secular reports here and here.

Why?  Because he spent a lot of money and an investigation is under way.  But according to the Vatican website, it doesn't say he was  suspended, it appears he is just on a break, 'a period of stay outside the diocese'.  (It is reported the Bishop waited 8 days to finally meet with the Pope.) 

“The Holy Father has been continually informed in detail and objectively on the situation regarding the diocese of Limburg. In the diocese, a situation has arisen in which Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst cannot, at the present moment, continue to exercise his episcopal ministry.

Following Cardinal Lajolo's 'fraternal visit' in September, the German Bishops' Conference, in accordance with an agreement between the bishop and the Chapter of Limburg Cathedral, has constituted a Commission to carry out a detailed examination of the matter of the building of the bishop's residence. Pending the results of this examination and of an analysis of responsibility for the matter, the Holy See considers it appropriate to authorise for Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst a period of stay outside the diocese.

By decision of the Holy See, Stadtdekan Wolfgang Rosch is today appointed as vicar general, an appointment that had previously been announced by the diocese of Limburg as taking effect from 1 January 2014. Vicar General Rosch will administer the diocese of Limburg during the absence of the diocesan bishop, within the sphere of competence associated with this office”. - Vatican News

That's all they wrote.

Bling Bischof-nacht.

A new tradition for German Catholics.

 * When a suspension is total, a cleric is deprived of the exercise of every function and of every ecclesiastical right. When it is partial, it may be only from the exercise of one's sacred orders, or from his office which includes deprivation of the use of orders and jurisdiction, or from his benefice which deprives him of both administration and income. When a suspension is decreed absolutely and without limitation, it is understood to be a total suspension. A partial suspension deprives a cleric of the use of that power only which is expressed in the sentence. - Source


Paging Dr. Peters.

Pope and German President meet... A joint effort is needed to save Europe....

Benedict XVI received Joachim Gauck in an audience today.

Photo source - story.

What do you want to bet they spoke German together too.  I know!

Don't mention the war.

 

 

 What?

Christoph Cardinal Schönborn clears up some misunderstandings surrounding his pastoral care ....

A blind eye?

He started it anyway.

Personally, I've always liked Cardinal Schönborn, he has an attractive personality and strikes me as warm and accommodating.  His style of governance seems to demonstrates that.  Sometimes, considering the content of what one reads online is pretty much spare quotes and 'sound-bites' of his talks, and critique of his activities, one can become rather confused as to where the Cardinal actually stands on certain issues of faith and morals.  OSV prints an interview with Cardinal Schönborn wherein he clears the air on some of his more questionable decisions. 

The case of the gay parish council member:

Our Sunday Visitor: Recently in your diocese, a young openly homosexual man was elected to his parish council. Both his election and your decision to allow his election to stand created quite a stir in the media. Could you explain your thinking on that decision and the controversy surrounding it?

Cardinal Schönborn: To begin with, I believe this was a very local situation that certainly did not deserve to be discussed in public, mainly because it is out of the question that the concrete details of the situation be exposed to the public. The only thing I’ve requested of people is that if I make a pastoral decision in a very concrete circumstance they should trust that this decision does not reflect any change in my commitment to Catholic teaching.

The fact is that sometimes we have to live with situations that are objectively disordered, but we do so with the hope that the people are on the way of faith. We are a community of sinners who all need to improve our lives. We all have to take steps to be more completely conformed to the Lord’s teachings. In this particular situation, I have certainty that the young man is on the way of the Christian life and is conforming his life more and more to God’s plan. I was clear with him about the Church’s teaching when I spoke, but we need to have patience. Again, the only thing I request is to trust that I did not make this decision lightly or arbitrarily, and am in no way denying the Church’s teaching on this issue. - OSV

The Cardinal is very kind. 

The fact is that sometimes we have to live with situations that are objectively disordered, but we do so with the hope that the people are on the way of faith. - Schönborn

Is it the German Austrian culture?  Or just the Cardinals from those countries?  I ask after reading this from Cardinal Woelki:

"Commenting on gay men in relationships he said he tried not to see them as just violating natural law but as people trying to take responsibility for each other in lasting partnerships. We must find a way of allowing people to live without going against church teaching," - Woelki

You don't say.  I'm still confused.

I have to believe the issues both cardinals are addressing should be matters of pastoral care limited to individual situations, matters of conscience reserved for the confessional, not a proposed revision of Church teaching.  There already is a way of  'allowing people to live without going against Church teaching':  Chastity according to our state of life, for the single that means observing sexual abstinence, continence, and celibacy.  Likewise, living faithful lives by striving to keep the commandments, nourished by frequent recourse to the sacraments, prayer and good works, and good friendships.  These things are better than 'active participation' in parish life or sitting on any parish council. 

This is an interesting quote (not from a Catholic):

We need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers. - Bayard Rustin, Quaker gay activist

 It appears to be working in Germany and Austria.