Bishop Tebartz-van Elst Often Back in His Diocese of Limburg

The "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" reported, citing "Church circles" remaining anonymous  that the Bishop of Limburg  residing more often in his diocese again. UPDATE: Opinion of the diocese

Limburg (kath.net) According to the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" (FAS), the Limburg Bishop Franz-Josef Tebartz van Elst  (photo) is back in his diocese on a regular  basis. The bishop, who had been temporarily relieved of his residence obligation by the Pope Francis, apparently spends at least several days every month  in the Episcopal House [Palace] of the Diocese of Limburg. The FAS has received this information from unnamed "church circles".  

Tebartz van Elst's driver cooks for him at his official residence, apparently he also celebrates  Holy Mass occasionally in the Bishop's Chapel, says the FAS.

The FAS also pointed out that the presence of the Bishop of Limburg  "is critically eyed in German church circles", [a good sign] since they are concerned  that Tebartz van Elst will have "influence on official business". The FAS wrote, but without any reference to sources: "In fact, he issues instructions to the new Vicar General. Wolfgang Rösch, who officially leads the diocese, in the background." 

From the environs of the bishop it is also to be learned that he  continues to strive for his full reinstatement to Limburg. In this he will be assisted by the Archbishops of the Curia Gerhard Ludwig Müller and Georg Gänswein and who also had actually become very cautiously positive for the Limburg Bishop.  Gänswein, Prefect of the Papal Household, had also said to "Mittelbayrischen Zeitung"   in mid-January that the Commission of Inquiry will exonerate  Tebartz van Elst  kath.net has reported . 

The Limburg Bishop had also received support from Cardinal Walter Brandmüller in Rome. In an article in the "Daily Post" of last Friday, Brandmüller blamed the difficulties in the diocese of Limburg not of the current bishop, but his predecessor, Bishop Franz Kamphaus. This one is said to essentially support an "anti-Roman sentiment" that has spread in the diocese. Kamphaus has defended, for example, the Church advising consent to abortion  to pregnant women against the Vatican. 

Brandmüller had been quoted in the "Daily Mail": "There can be no doubt that this attitude of a bishop will have destructive consequences for the relationship of the faithful of the diocese of Limburg to the Magisterium of the  church - and the  successor of Franz Kamphaus." 

And this was Brandmüller's diagnosis on the events in Limburg for the "Daily Mail": "But what had happened in Limburg, was basically nothing more than the transfer of the partnership model, the form of government of modern democracy, to the Church. Such attempts at transmission  - and that is secularization in the proper sense  - have been made ​​several times in history and each time has done damage. The Church is, after all, neither monarchy [?] nor dictatorship, nor aristocratic republic or corporate state - it is simply the "Church", though in this world, but not of this world. It is a mystery of faith and follows her own, her own law legislated by  Jesus Christ." 

In the mean time now  an article by the "Focus" with news from Rome has become public, after which the results of the investigation conducted by the Church will be shown to have largely exonerated Bishop Tebarz-van Elst. "Focus" has  also reported that the diocese of Limburg may even be disolved by Roman considerations, as kath.net has reported .

 UPDATE: Statement of the Diocese of Limburg: The Limburg Bishop Franz-Peter van Elst Tebartz regularly stays in his diocese. A report of the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" (FAS) confirmed by Diocese Spokesman Stephan Fast on Sunday for the Catholic News Agency (KNA). The bishop among other things, being criticized the way he managed and because of the cost of a construction project on the Limburg Cathedral Hill, has returned briefly to Limburg  for "personal reasons". 

But this was neither an interdict nor libelous because he lived "neither in exile nor in restriction", even if it the Pope had granted an break at the end of October for an indefinite period  outside his diocese. FAS further reports that Tebartz van Elst imparts instructions to the new Vicar General Wolfgang Rösch, who leads the ongoing administration of the diocese during the absence of the bishop. To that, KNA was quick to reply that of course Rösch is in contact with the bishop, but is "solely and exclusively" accountable to the Vatican."

Foto Bischof Tebartz-van Elst: (c) Bistum Limburg