Bishop Heiner Wilmer, SCJ, former Superior General, elected President of the German Bishops’ Conference
WÜRZBURG – This Tuesday, February 24, 2026, during their spring plenary assembly, the bishops of Germany elected Bishop Heiner Wilmer as the new president of the German Bishops' Conference (DBK).
At 64 years old, Bishop Heiner Wilmer, SCJ, former Superior General of the Priests of the Sacred Heart and Bishop of the Diocese of Hildesheim since 2018, takes the lead of the German episcopate. His election comes at a pivotal moment for the Church in Germany, which faces numerous challenges and internal debates.
“Placing God at the Center”
In his first address, the new leading figure of the German Church defined his priority mission: “to place God at the center.” In an ecclesial context marked by thorny issues, he emphasized that his actions will be guided by a deep commitment to justice and mercy, stating that “walking with God” constitutes his spiritual compass. In this same logic, he announced his intention to pursue, in communion with the entire episcopate, the ecclesial mission of proclaiming the Gospel, living and radiating the Good News to act according to the will of the Most High.
This desire to refocus pastoral action on the essentials echoes his episcopal motto, “Adiutores Gaudii Vestri” (Servants of your joy), taken from the Second Epistle to the Corinthians (1:24): “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.”
Bishop Heiner Wilmer, SCJ, in brief
Born on April 9, 1961, in Schapen, Germany, Heiner Wilmer took his first vows with the Dehonians in 1982 before being ordained a priest in 1987.
A journey between education and mission. From 1998 to 2007, he directed the Gymnasium Leoninum in Handrup. His path is marked by international openness, notably in New York, where he taught German and history at Fordham Preparatory School (Jesuits), and in Vechta, where he served as a teacher and school chaplain.
Social and humanitarian commitments. Bishop Wilmer has distinguished himself through his proximity to the peripheries:
- Venezuela (2006): Three months of catechesis in the barrios of Caracas.
- Germany: Development of a training program for women in prison in Vechta.
- North America: Service at the Jesuits’ soup kitchen in New York and chaplaincy at “L’Arche Daybreak” (Toronto) for people with disabilities.
Academic background. Holder of a doctorate in fundamental theology from the University of Freiburg, his research focused on French philosophy and specifically on mysticism in Maurice Blondel (Mystik zwischen Tun und Denken). He is also the author of several books.
Dehonian responsibilities. Before his elevation to the episcopate, Bishop Wilmer held high-responsibility positions within the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCJ), first as Provincial Superior of Germany, then as Superior General of the Congregation in Rome.
