German Catholicism still plays a central role within the global Church, and it is a key player in the country’s life through its charities and many educational and social agencies. With the so-called Synodal Path, the German Catholic Church has become a forerunner of the synodality Pope Francis called for in the global Church. This week, the German Conference of Catholic Bishops elected Heiner Wilmer as its new president. Wilmer is the bishop of Hildesheim and the former Superior general of the Dehonian Congregation.
The election of Monsignor Heiner Wilmer as head of the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference is an important milestone for the future of the Catholic Church, not only in Germany, but around the world. Bishop Wilmer’s election signals a change of pace for German Catholicism, extending its horizon well beyond the country’s borders. In addition to the global experience he gained as Superior General of the Dehonians, bishop Wilmer is known for his international culture and cosmopolitan spirituality.
His doctoral studies brought him into contact with Italian society and French philosophical culture. He spent a year in the Bronx, New York, teaching at a Jesuit high school. He also carried out his ministry with disabled people in the Community of l’Arche in Canada and with deteinees in a high-security prison in Germany. He relates well to young people, listens to them, and gathers their suggestions for teaching in schools and for creating a Catholicism that can communicate with and appeal to younger generations.
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With thanks to Appia Institute and Marcello Neri, where this article originally appeared.
