Bishop of Essen
Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck was born on 19 June 1964 in Marl. In 1983 he completed the Abitur at the Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium in Marl. In 1983 he began theological studies at the Westfaelische Wilhelms University in Muenster, Borromaeum. From 1984 to 1990 he studied theology and philosophy in Rome at the Germanicum/Gregoriana. On 10 October 1989 he was ordained a priest in Rome by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. In 1990 he was chaplain in Haltern, St. Sixtus. In 1994 he was released for study, was director at the German student residence in Muenster, and was appointed cathedral vicar at St. Paulus Cathedral in Muenster. In February 2000 he received the Dr. theol. degree at the Catholic Theological Faculty of the Westfaelische Wilhelms University in Muenster. In 2000 he was appointed head of the Institute for the Diaconate and Pastoral Services in the Diocese of Muenster, rector of the house chapel, episcopal delegate for the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Muenster, and continued as residence director at the German student residence in Muenster and rector of its house chapel. In 2002 he was additionally appointed ecclesiastical assistant for the Christian Life Community. On 18 July 2007 he was appointed titular bishop of Matara (North Africa) and auxiliary bishop in Muenster. On 1 September 2007 he received episcopal ordination in St. Paulus Cathedral in Muenster. In 2007 he was appointed resident cathedral chapter member at the High Cathedral Church in Muenster and regional bishop of the Muenster-Warendorf region. On 29 March 2008 he was elected diocesan administrator of the Diocese of Muenster. On 17 May 2008 he was received into the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. On 29 March 2009 his term as diocesan administrator of the Diocese of Muenster ended. On 28 October 2009 he was appointed Bishop of Essen. On 20 December 2009 he was installed as Bishop of Essen. In 2010 he was called to be ecclesiastical assistant of the Pontifical Foundation Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice (CAPP). In 2010 he was appointed chair of the Subcommission for Contacts with Latin America, especially ADVENIAT. On 4 October 2010 Pope Benedict XVI called him to the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. On 24 February 2011 Pope Benedict XVI called him to be Catholic Military Bishop for the German Bundeswehr. On 6 May 2011 he was installed as Catholic Military Bishop for the German Bundeswehr. On 15 June 2013 he became a member of the Sovereign Order of Malta. In March 2014 he became chair of the Commission for Social and Societal Questions of the German Bishops' Conference. In March 2014 Pope Francis appointed him a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture. In February 2018 he became delegate of the German bishops in the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE).