Archbishop of Strasbourg dismisses a second member of his Episcopal Council

Contested by some of his flock who are demanding his resignation, Monsignor Luc Ravel ousted the Vicar General the day after an initial dismissal deemed brutal.

The Diocese of Alsace in turmoil. The Archbishop of Strasbourg, Monsignor Luc Ravel, dismissed Father Hubert Schmitt from the Episcopal Council and withdrew his office of vicar, according to information revealed on Tuesday April 18 by Latest news from Alsace (DNA) and confirmed by the diocese at Figaro. The decision, which the archbishop has not publicly justified, dates back to April 5, the day after a previous dismissal that was highly criticized within the same council.

In the middle of Holy Week, Monsignor Luc Ravel had indeed announced his dismissal to Auxiliary Bishop Christian Kratz by… a letter slipped under his door. The same evening, the faithful demonstrated in front of Strasbourg Cathedral to demand his departure, waving signs “Ravel resignation” at the entrance to the Chrism Mass. “Perhaps it was not the right method” to announce a sidelining, admitted the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Strasbourg, Bernard Xibaut on BFM Alsace.

Source

This method of dismissal was pioneered by the Cardinal Archbishop of Vienna.