Pope Francis accepted the resignation Wednesday of a year-old French auxiliary bishop. The Holy See press office announced Feb. It did not offer an explanation for the step. The Strasbourg archdiocese, which traces its roots to the 4th century, has a distinctive status thanks to the Concordat of , according to which episcopal moves are jointly approved by the Vatican and the French president.
It did not provide an explanation for the resignation. Archbishop Philippe Ballot, the Bishop of Metz and the apostolic administrator of Strasbourg archdiocese since May , suggested in a Feb. This situation prevented him from fully exercising his episcopal ministry. Within the concordat framework, the public authorities were duly notified. He will become auxiliary bishop emeritus of Strasbourg, still titular of Saint-Papoul. At the end of the necessary time, he will be able to consider resuming some pastoral activities.
Even though his name will no longer be mentioned in the Eucharistic Prayer, I call on all members of the diocese to continue praying for him and with him. Born in in Mulhouse, eastern France, Reithinger was ordained a priest of the Strasbourg archdiocese in In , he was confirmed as superior general of the Paris Foreign Missions Society, a noted Catholic missionary organization dating back to the 17th century. He held the post for just under four years, before he was named a Strasbourg auxiliary bishop in June At 48 years of age, Reithinger became the youngest bishop in France.
Reithinger was reportedly interviewed as a simple witness by police in April concerning abuse allegations against the missionary Fr. Aymeric de Salvert. Reithinger told France 3 Alsace that the accusations were untrue and he had informed the apostolic nuncio to France of the allegations.
Reithinger reportedly stepped back from his functions as auxiliary bishop while an investigation took place. Reithinger insisted that he had passed on the information as requested. In , the retired Archbishop Jean-Pierre Grallet, who led the archdiocese from to , admitted to inappropriate behavior toward a young woman in the s.
