The conservative bishop of Toulon, Dominique Rey, resigns at the request of Pope Francis after two years of crisis

The bishop, at the head of the diocese of Fréjus-Toulon for 25 years, had a right arm imposed on him by Pope Francis in 2022. In question, his style inspired by evangelism and “dysfunctions in economic management and financial affairs of the diocese.

After 25 years at the head of the diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, conservative bishop Dominique Rey was forced to resign by the pope, the bishop announced in a press release on Tuesday January 7. “The nuncio informed me that the Holy Father was asking me to lay down my office as diocesan bishop”writes Dominique Rey.

The Vatican was quick to accept this resignation by way of a press release at midday, announcing in passing the appointment to succeed him of François Touvet, Dominique Rey's right-hand man since the end of 2023. The diocese had been in crisis since 2022: in an extremely rare decision, the Vatican suspended the ordination of priests and triggered an audit which led to the appointment of a coadjutor bishop, François Touvet, until now bishop of Châlons-en-Champagne (Marne).

“I am mainly criticized for welcoming too broad communities or priestly and religious vocations, particularly from the traditional world, as well as dysfunctions in the economic and financial management of the diocese”explains the bishop on Tuesday, in an interview with the weekly Christian family. Dominique Rey, from the Emmanuel community, was criticized within the Church for his style which may have been inspired by American evangelical pastors.

Its policy of welcoming new communities was also debated, targeting traditionalists and followers of the Latin mass for example, and other charismatics, particularly from Latin America. Although he refuses the label of conservative, Dominique Rey nonetheless gave marked support in 2012-2013 to La Manif pour tous, which opposed the marriage of homosexual couples. The welcome offered in 2015 to Marion Maréchal during a Catholic summer school in the Var also caused excitement in Christian ranks.