BREAKING Germany's Bishops Conference Elects Bishop Wilmer as New President Replacing Bishop Georg Bätzing


Bishop Heiner Wilmer Elected President of the German Bishops' Conference (Image © German Bishops' Conference / Marko Orlovic)

The German Bishops' Conference (DBK) has announced that Bishop Heiner Wilmer, age 64, will succeed Bishop Georg Bätzing as its new president. Elected for a six-year term, Wilmer will serve as the external representative for the DBK. Bishop Heiner Wilmer, who has served as the Bishop of Hildesheim since 2018, will represent the conference for the next six years. His career spans international roles in Rome and New York, ranging from education as a headmaster to serving as Provincial Superior in Bonn.

A member of the Priests of the Sacred Heart since 1980, Wilmer’s extensive background includes serving as Superior General of his order in Rome and, since 2018, as the Bishop of Hildesheim. He brings significant leadership experience to the role, having previously chaired the German Commission for Justice and Peace as well as the DBK’s Commission for Social and Societal Issues.

New Leadership for the DBK: Bishop Heiner Wilmer

Key Highlights: Bishop Heiner Wilmer's Appointment

  • Role: Chairman of the German Bishops' Conference (DBK).

  • Term: Six years, succeeding Georg Bätzing.

  • Background: * Ordained: 1987 (Priests of the Sacred Heart).

    • Education: Former headmaster with experience in Germany and the Bronx, NY.

    • Leadership: Former Superior General in Rome and current Bishop of Hildesheim.

    • Focus Areas: Has led commissions on social issues, justice, and peace.

      BIOGRAPHY:
The Bishop of Hildesheim, Dr. Heiner Wilmer SCJ, was elected today (February 24, 2026) as the new chairman of the German Bishops' Conference. He succeeds Bishop Dr. Georg Bätzing and will represent the German Bishops' Conference externally for the next six years.

Heiner Wilmer was born on April 9, 1961, in Schapen (Emsland). In August 1980, he entered the religious order of the Sacred Heart Priests and made his solemn profession in 1985. On May 31, 1987, Wilmer was ordained a priest in Freiburg. From 1987 to 1993, he studied in Rome and Freiburg. After various positions as a trainee teacher and teacher in Meppen, Vechta, and the Bronx, New York, he became headmaster of the Leoninum Gymnasium in Handrup. From 2007 to 2015, Wilmer served as Provincial Superior of the German Province of the Sacred Heart Priests in Bonn, and subsequently, until 2018, as Superior General of the Sacred Heart Priests in Rome. On April 6, 2018, Heiner Wilmer was appointed the 71st Bishop of Hildesheim by Pope Francis. He was consecrated bishop and installed on September 1, 2018. Since September 2021, he has chaired the Commission for Social and Societal Issues within the German Bishops' Conference. From 2019 to 2024, he chaired the German Commission for Justice and Peace.
BACKGROUND
The Chairman represents the German Bishops' Conference externally. He is bound by the resolutions of the Plenary Assembly and the Standing Council. If no resolutions of the Plenary Assembly or the Standing Council exist on a particular issue, the Chairman is obligated to obtain a corresponding resolution. If this is not possible, at least an agreement with the Chairman of the relevant commission must be sought. In urgent cases, the Chairman of the Bishops' Conference may issue statements on his own initiative. He informs the members of the Bishops' Conference. The Vice-Chairman assumes the duties of the Chairman if, due to the Chairman's lawful incapacity, the Chairman entrusts him with his representation or if he is also prevented from doing so.
Source: https://www.dbk.de/presse/aktuelles/meldung/bischof-dr-heiner-wilmer-scj-ist-neuer-vorsitzender-der-deutschen-bischofskonferenz

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