Pope Francis suspended Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst of
the German diocese of Limburg yesterday. No, the Pope did not suspend Mr. Tebartz
van-Elst for displaying a lack of economy in the use of words and letters in his
name. The Pope suspended this popinjay
for gaudy, tacky, extravagant displays of wealth, the most salient of which was
a $42 million upgrade to his residence, which included such emulations of the
life of Jesus as a $21,000 bath tub.
Mr. Tebartz-van Eltz’s defenders, and there are many, argue
that the good Bishop’s residence included a conference center and offices; the
entire $42 million wasn’t spent on the bishop’s residence. Mr. Tebartz-van Eltz’s defenders actually
make this argument with a straight face, as if every mid-sized diocese needs a
$42 million conference center in its bishop’s residence. Such inane defenses leads one to ask not why
Mr. Tebartz-van Eltz was suspended but, rather, why the suspension was limited
to him, who differs only in degree from many (Yours truly is comfortable saying
“most.”) of his brethren in the worldwide conference of bishops of the Church.
The silly and showy spending of the likes of Mr. Tebartz-van
Eltz is one of the Church’s most glaring scandals for a number of reasons. The bishops, like all Catholics, indeed, all
Christians, are here to imitate our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We
don’t know exactly what imitation of Christ means in today’s world, especially
as it relates to the acquisition and application of material goods. While Jesus tells us what it means (Matthew
6, 25-34, which includes (31-33)….
“So do not worry and
say ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek Your heavenly Father knows that you need
them all. But seek first the kingdom of God
we have a difficult time applying these assurances and
admonitions to our modern, complicated world.
But we do know two things about emulating Christ. First, we all fall short in this pursuit. Second, emulating Christ does not involve $42
million houses and $21,000 bath tubs.
Further, from a purely practical standpoint, the behavior of
Mr. Tebartz-van Eltz and the legions of his brother bishops who doubtless wish
they, too, could attain such heights of tackiness and phony elegance is
scandalous to the Church for financial reasons beyond the obvious. Simply put, people understandably have a
hard time giving money to people who live better than they do. When they see such poltroons as Tebartz-van
Eltz living in opulence, they start to wonder where exactly their money is
going. Again, such, er, upscale lifestyles
among churchmen is not at al unique to Tebartz-van Eltz. To use an example that hits close to home,
Cardinal Francis George, the Archbishop of Chicago, lives in the most expensive
single family home in the city of Chicago . Why? Don’t think people don’t take such things into
consideration when they are deciding how much, or even if, to give to the
Church.
Finally, forget about spending other people’s money. Any person, but especially any man, who
spends such vast amounts of even his own money on his clothes, home, cars, or
other trappings of wealth is a fool, a narcissistic fop who deserves not
respect, or even consideration, but only ridicule and abuse. His utter lack of judgment regarding the
spending of money betrays an utter lack of judgment on any other matter,
perhaps especially matters of faith.
To have Cardinals, bishops, and priests parading around in
foppish finery, living in over the top rectories and “bishops’ residences,” and
being chauffeured around in luxury cars invites both the type of reasoned questioning,
and outright sarcastic ridicule, to which the Church is being currently
subjected. The Church has brought such
treatment upon itself and the Pope is
trying to correct that. Hopefully the suspension
of the idiotic poltroon in Limburg who calls himself a
man of God is only the first such step in that direction.
As I’ve said before though, the Pope is putting himself in
danger, perhaps grave danger, by taking a stand against the excesses displayed
by his brother bishops. (See Easter
Sunday’s “(OUR NEW AND WONDERFUL PAPA) HAS POWERFUL ENEMIES”.) The Holy Father is already under attack by
the vast elements in the Church and its hierarchy who have no problem with
bishops’ living like Middle Eastern suzerains.
Indeed, it is not too much to say that many in the hierarchy entered
their profession (That’s the right noun; for such fops, the Church is not a
calling but a profession.) not to serve Christ but rather to live like
Herod. Their line of attack, steadily
building momentum, will eventually evolve into an argument that Francis is not
the “real” Pope, that the “real” Pope remains Benedict XVI (See 9/19/13’s POPE FRANCIS: WHAT WILL THE “TRADITIONALISTS” DO ABOUT THIS CRAZY MAN?),
the man who was so fond of his red Prada shoes and who never missed a chance to
parade around in finery that a Russian czar would envy. And who knows where it will go from there?
These are many ruthless, Godless people who inhabit the Church hierarchy who
don’t like people like Francis interfering with the “fine lifestyles” they
think they have built for themselves.
Pope Francis, a good and saintly man, needs our prayers…and
God’s protection.
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