A German newspaper, Die Tagespost, has reported that Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Maria Santissima in Astana, Kazakhstan, has been informed by the Holy See that his travels outside his diocese are not exceed the 30 days’ limit legislated in canon law.
Contrary to reports by other media outlets, the Bishop has not been censured or forbidden from traveling.
Vatican journalist Marco Tosatti reported that Bishop Schneider “received a verbal [i.e. oral] injunction from the Vatican asking him to reduce the frequency of his trips abroad” (“Il Papa Impone ‘i Domiciliari’ al Vescovo Athanasius Schneider”, Stilum Curiae, Nov. 6, 2018).
The person who communicated this restriction to him was Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, the Papal Nuncio to Kazakhstan.
The curtailment was issued by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who, as the Vatican Secretary of State, acted on Francis’ behalf.
According to Tosatti, because the Vatican restriction was delivered only by spoken word and not in writing, Bishop Schneider is unable to appeal the decision to the Congregation of Bishops or some Ecclesiastical Tribunal.
No reasons were given for the sanction, which was communicated to Bishop Schneider in April of this year.
Tosatti reported: “Every time he plans a trip abroad, he must inform the Nuncio.”
Whether this will remain a simple notification or become in effect a request for permission will have to be seen.
But it is clear that if the Nuncio — or the Holy Father himself — doesn’t like the frequency, the destination, or the purpose of the trips, Bishop Schneider may come to experience further sanctions.
What is not known is whether the Nuncio has the power to forbid Bishop Schneider from leaving the country altogether. That may indeed be what will be decided eventually, considering the fact that the Bishop is an outspoken critic of Pope Francis.
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