The Bishop before his wedding

From the even excellent Kreuz.net

A fifty year old military bishop resigned a week ago. The media was speculating on the private life of this priest.

Msgr Tamas Szabo is a Hungarian military bishop aged 50 and who apparently wishes to marry.

The Hungarian daily papers and the internet portal Index confirm this independently. They refer to reliable sources.

The Bishop wants to marry his girlfriend who he had met through the charismatic renewal movement.

Msgr Szabo told the news agency MTI that he did not wish to speak about private matters in public. The Hungarian episcopate has not commented on these rumours so far.

However, the Bishops photo was removed from the website of the Hungarian Bishops’ Conference.

He is also not mentioned with the other Bishops emeritus. Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Msgr Szabo on 15 March. The Vatican did not mention the reasons.

The official Vatican communiqué about his resignation, refers as is usual if the Bishop does not leave due to age, to Canon 401, Section 2 of Canon Law. This section outlines that the Bishop must hand in his resignation if he is prevented from exercising his office due to illness or “other serious matters”.

Msgr Szabo has worked from 1993 to 1999 as Secretary to Archbishop Josef Karl Rauber. The latter came from Mainz and was, at that time, the Nuntius.

Bishop Szabo was ordained as priest in August 1988. Pope John Paul II appointed the 45 year old to become the Hungarian military bishop in November 2001. He received the rank of Brigadier General.

On the 12 January 2002, he was consecrated Bishop.