The resignation acceptance was confirmed in an official statement by the Bishops' Conference of France over the weekend.

Archbishop Ravel's resignation comes on the heels of an investigation ordered by the Vatican in 2022 into the Strasbourg diocese, which represents about 1.3 million Catholics.

Ravel had served as the archbishop since 2017 and was the subject of an investigation initiated by the Vatican in 2022.

The investigation was prompted by complaints from Catholics residing in the Alsace region.

Ravel's leadership style, characterised as authoritarian, had alienated numerous parishioners and church officials.

His decision to remove women and laypeople from various councils in his diocese and appoint traditionalist priests with contrasting views to their congregations drew significant criticism.

Furthermore, Ravel faced backlash for dismissing the finance director of the diocese and an auxiliary bishop within the space of little over a year.

Ongoing calls for resignation

Despite his resignation, Archbishop Ravel staunchly defended his six-year tenure, which had been marked by controversy.

However, calls for his resignation had been ongoing, with an online petition garnering over a thousand signatures.

Ravel's leadership style, which neglected to prioritise communication and engagement with his priests, further exacerbated tensions.

His absence during Holy Week, notably the Chrism Mass with the archdiocese priests, deepened grievances among the clergy, who felt neglected by their archbishop.

In June 2022, the Vatican initiated an investigation into Ravel's governance, focusing on numerous complaints about his authoritarian behaviour.

However, the findings of the investigation were not released to the public.

Ravel summoned to Rome

Ravel was subsequently summoned to Rome for a meeting with Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the former prefect for the Dicastery for Bishops, who requested his resignation and a letter to the French president, as mandated by the concordat.

Ravel did not initially submit the resignation letter, and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Pope's Secretary of State, summoned Ravel to Rome.

However, citing health reasons, the Archbishop did not attend the meeting.

But, on April 20, Ravel said he had "presented my resignation to the Holy Father," without giving further details.

"The Holy Father and the President of the Republic [Emmanuel Macron] have jointly accepted the resignation" of Luc Ravel, the Bishops' Conference of France said in a statement on Saturday.

Francis appointed Philippe Ballot, the archbishop of nearby Metz, as diocese administrator, "awaiting the appointment of the next archbishop of Strasbourg," the statement added.

Sources

Deutsche Welle

CathNews New Zealand

Luc Ravel, the Archbishop of Strasbourg, announced his resignation on April 20. However, he gave no reason for his resignation.

"Peace being the supreme good (...), I have presented my resignation to the Holy Father, for whom I pray every day", he said.

Ravel, 65, resigned from his position, despite being a decade away from the customary retirement age for diocesan bishops.

Archbishop Ravel is known for being heavy-handed and authoritarian and for his commitment to fighting against sex abuse in the Catholic Church.

His approach to leadership had increasingly isolated him from his priests and the Catholic community of Alsace.

The Catholic community of Alsace had long been calling for his resignation and an online petition for this attracted more than a thousand signatures.

As a new archbishop, Ravel did not take the time to meet his priests, angering a large segment of the clergy.

According to reports, he spent too much time in his native Paris and relied more on his secretary than his closest associates.

During Holy Week, Archbishop Ravel did not celebrate the Chrism Mass with the archdiocese priests. He thereby avoided confrontation with demonstrators who were demanding his removal. But his absence aggravated the complaints of priests who said he spent little time with his clergy.

Vatican investigated Archbishop Ravel

The Vatican investigated Archbishop Ravel's governance in June 2022.

Their focus was a number of complaints about his authoritarian approach.

Bishop Stanislas Lalanne of Pontoise and Archbishop Joël Mercier, former secretary of the Dicastery for the Clergy, conducted the investigation.

The report has never been released.

The former prefect for the Dicastery for Bishops, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, summoned Ravel to Rome for a meeting, during which he was asked to resign and send a letter to the French president, as required by the concordat.

However, the resignation letter never materialised, leading to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Pope's Secretary of State, summoning Ravel to Rome again.

This time, the Archbishop cited health reasons for not attending.

The Holy See is expected to transfer Archbishop Ravel to a titular diocese, as was done with Bishop Jacques Gaillot in 1995. Titular sees are usually reserved for bishops who are not diocesan ordinaries, and the move does not require the approval of the French president.

Sources

La Croix International

The Pillar

Catholic Culture