Pope continues vindictive campaign against those close to his predecessor

 "Hope together" is the motto of the visit of the Sovereign Pontiff to Mongolia from August 31 to September 4, 2023. 

Bergoglio had sent Benedict XVI's second private secretary, Bishop Alfred Xuereb to Mongolia.

Monsignor Clemens, the 3rd secretary of Benedict XVI, had already been fired in 2016, when the Pope had castigated the Pontifical Council of which he was the secretary.

Bishop Alfred Xuereb became Francis' secretary from his election until April of the following year. Archbishop Xuereb had been appointed delegate of the Pontifical Referential Commission on the IOR and of the Pontifical Referential Commission for Study and Orientation on the Organization of the Economic-Administrative Structure of the Holy See. Then, on March 3, 2014, he appointed him prelate secretary general of the Secretariat for the Economy, before replacing him. In 2018 Francis appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Korea and Mongolia.

As he prepared for the Apostolic trip to Mongolia, he learned that he would have to pack his bags. In a letter sent to the Koreans, the nuncio wrote

“I would especially like to express my most sincere thanks for the precious cooperation of the Korean people. The contribution of the local bishops in Korea is very valuable and it is essential for the Holy Father to formulate a broad and detailed vision of the state of the diocese to enable him to assess correctly, with the necessary care, the candidates who are offered”. “I am happy to share the satisfaction of seeing the Church in Korea register several new members with the administration of the sacrament of baptism, among whom are a number of children and a few adults. I was happy and honored to learn from them that my modest and unpretentious witness helped them mature in their decision to join the community of the Catholic Church.”

Today, at the age of 64, Bishop Alfred Xuereb no longer has an office. Like Bishop Josef Clemens, who lost all his functions at 69, and Bishop Georg Gänswein, who was fired from the Vatican at 66.

Source