Pope Expels German "Luxury Bishop" From Diocese

ABC News - 10/23/13, AP

The residence of Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, Bishop of Limburg, in Limburg, Germany, Oct. 17. Bishop Tebartz-van Elst, currently at the Vatican to meet pope Francis, is accused of wasting money to refurbish and rebuild the residence for more than 31 million euro ( 42 million dollars). Frank Augstein/AP

Pope Francis has temporarily expelled a German bishop from his diocese because of a scandal over a 31-million-euro project to build a new residence and related renovations.

In a statement, the Vatican said the situation in the diocese had become such that Tebartz-van Elst "could no longer exercise his episcopal ministry."

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