The bishop of Limberg, Germany, Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, has been suspended by Pope Francis for his extravagant lifestyle, which included a $42 million residence and private chapel and first class travel worldwide. Some of the expenditures of the suspended bishop were staggering: over $600,000 in artwork and $1.1 million in landscaping for the residence. Imagine how many poor children that would have clothed and fed.
The Pope kept Tebarz-van Elst cooling his well-shod heels for a week before granting him an audience, a clear sign that the new Pope is fed up with the arrogance and greed that many of his senior clerics indulge in. It'll take a mighty effort to fix the years of corruption and sense of entitlement that these "princes of the Church" have, but the Pope has made a start.
BONUS: Unfortunately, the Pope has no jurisdiction over this disciple of the "gospel of prosperity preachin'".
