GERMANY
IOL
May 26 2014
By SAPA
Limburg – A revamped garden attached to the residence of a bishop who resigned in disgrace this year because of the amount of money he spent on his own home was opened to the public in the western German city of Limburg.
Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, who became known internationally as the “bling bishop,” resigned in March after months of criticism for the 31-million euros spent on renovating his residence, including the fitting of a 15-million-euro bathtub.
The diocese decided that the residence’s Garden of Mary – which received a 790 000-euro investment under the bishop – should be open to everyone.
About 700 people showed up on the first day, reported the diocese. Tebartz-van Elst’s lavish lifestyle was a public embarrassment to the Catholic Church, which has returned its focus to charity and the poor under Pope Francis.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.