A German Catholic bishop under fire for huge cost overruns on a luxurious residence and alleged lying under oath has flown to Rome to meet Vatican officials and possibly Pope Francis to decide if he can stay in office.
Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst of Limburg has caused a crisis in the German church for building a luxurious residence and office complex at a time when the Pope is stressing humility and service to the poor.
An initial audit revealed the project cost at least $NZ50 million, six times more than planned.