While Pope Francis has called for a “poor church for people”, the German bishop was caught out of sync while luxuriously spending millions of euros to renovate his private residence.
Franz Peter Tebartz-van Elsta,a German Catholic Cleric dubbed as the “Bling Bishop” has been suspended for his flamboyant luxury spending at the expense of the church according to Vatican City report.
“The Holy see deems it appropriate to authorize a period of leave from the diocese of Franz Peter Tebartz-van Elsta,” said the Vatican in a statement.
It is alleged that, the bishop used revenue for the German religious tax amounting to $3.9million for renovating his private quarters, with a breakdown showing $2.9million building the luxurious private quarters in the new diocesan building with a 63 square meter dining room plus a 15000 euro bath tub.
The bishop has been put on the spotlight after many reported on his spending spree thus putting greater transparency on church finances according to Pope’ verdict on “poor church for poor people”.
The bishop’s building project according to his predecessor was entitled to be a 5,5 million euro budget and it is his ostentatious spending which ballooned the project’s budget to 30 million euro which includes a one million euro garden.
Pope Francis has on several occasions preached about a more humble style since his coming to office and has widely condemned luxurious spending clerics.
Pope has repeatedly called for the Catholic Church to rid themselves of the earthly treasures like his name’s sake St Francis of Assisi, warning that worldliness is a murderer because it kills souls, kills people and kills the church.
Since assuming office as pontiff, the Pope has refused to move into lavish papal palace in the rich Vatican but insisted to stay on the Casa Santa Manta, a guest house and drives second hand cars not in the expensive limousine especially for the Pope.
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