Bishop Heiner Wilmer of Hildesheim was elected chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference for a six-year term. Wilmer succeeds Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg as the head of the German episcopal body. The newly elected chairman, age 64, is a member of the Priests of the Sacred Heart (Dehonians). Wilmer's past record indicates strong support for Germany’s contentious Synodal Way reform process. The election took place during the bishops’ spring plenary assembly in Würzburg on February 24, 2026.
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Bishop Heiner Wilmer, 64, Bishop of Hildesheim, was elected chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference on February 24, 2026, during the spring plenary in Würzburg.1 2 3 4 6
He succeeds Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg for a six-year term after three ballots, defeating progressive Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck.4 6
Wilmer is the first religious order member (Priests of the Sacred Heart, Dehonians) to lead the conference.1 2 3
Ordained in 1987, Wilmer served as superior general of his order in Rome and Bishop of Hildesheim since 2018.2 3 4
He chaired the bishops’ commissions on social issues, justice, and peace.4
Past roles include teaching, school chaplaincy in Germany, Canada, and the US.6
Wilmer opened with the Gloria: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of goodwill,” calling it his compass.1 2 3 6
He prioritized “God at the center,” peace amid Ukraine war, and addressing clergy abuse survivors.2 3 4 6
He praised Popes Francis and Leo XIV for affirming synodality as a core Church path.2 3 6
Wilmer consistently backed the 2019-2023 Synodal Way, voting for blessings of same-sex unions and sexual morality changes.2 3 4 6
He advocated liturgical accompaniment for LGBTQ+ people and reassessing homosexuality teachings.4 6
In 2019, he supported women in leadership and ordination, trusting the Holy Spirit.4 6
Wilmer once called power abuse “in the DNA of the Church” and identified “structures of evil,” drawing criticism from Cardinal Woelki.4 6
His diocese issued gender-sensitive language guidelines, prompting backlash.6
He praised Greta Thunberg as a prophet in 2019 but later de-emphasized climate activism.6
The nuncio, Archbishop Nikola Eterović, warned of reform risks leading to schism, citing historical figure Marcantonio de Dominis.2 3
Bätzing defended Synodal Way, claiming some teachings could change without harming Catholicism’s core.2 3
Wilmer expressed confidence in Vatican approval for a permanent synodal conference with lay voting rights; bishops later approved its statutes.2 3 6
Observers see Wilmer as spiritual and centrist compared to predecessors, possibly easing Rome tensions.6
He acknowledged not adopting prior Synodal Committee statutes was right, per papal concerns.6
Critics remain wary of his reform support amid global Synod focus on women’s roles.4 6
Investigate the Catholic Church’s concept of synodality
The Catholic Church understands synodality as a constitutive dimension of her nature, expressing the People of God journeying together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit through mutual listening, dialogue, communal discernment, and decision-making according to differentiated co-responsibilities. It integrates the communal participation of all the faithful ("all"), the collegial exercise of episcopal ministry ("some"), and the primatial service of the Bishop of Rome ("one"), while respecting the Church's hierarchical structure. Rooted in Scripture and Tradition, synodality fosters spiritual renewal, structural reform, and missionary outreach, countering clericalism and promoting co-responsibility.
Synodality emerges from the Church's apostolic origins, exemplified by the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:4-29), which models communitarian and apostolic discernment in response to challenges. This event reveals synodality not as a mere procedural tool but as the particular form in which the Church lives and operates, configuring her as the pilgrim People of God convoked by the risen Lord.
The concept has evolved historically. Established by Paul VI in 1965, the Synod of Bishops initially expressed episcopal collegiality in service to the universal Church, implementing Lumen Gentium's teachings. Recent developments, particularly under Pope Francis, extend synodality to the entire ecclesial body, viewing it as essential to the Church's modus vivendi et operandi—listening to the Word, celebrating the Eucharist, and sharing in mission while distinguishing ministries.
Synodality is the walking together of Christians with Christ and towards God’s Kingdom, in union with all humanity. Orientated towards mission, synodality involves gathering at all levels of the Church for mutual listening, dialogue, and community discernment.
Synodality articulates ecclesial communion through three interconnected dimensions:
This framework, drawn from the International Theological Commission (ITC), ensures synodality joins communal, collegial, and primatial elements without opposition. Synodality is broader than collegiality, encompassing all faithful and Churches, yet collegiality authenticates it through the college of bishops cum et sub Petro.
This ecclesiological vision invites us to articulate synodal communion in terms of ‘all’, ‘some’ and ‘one’... The dynamic of synodality thus joins the communitarian aspect which includes the whole People of God, the collegial dimension that is part of the exercise of episcopal ministry, and the primatial ministry of the Bishop of Rome.
Synodality thus overcomes clericalism by affirming baptismal dignity and shared responsibility, while hierarchically ordered.
Primacy and synodality are mutually constitutive, not competing principles. Synodality presupposes collegiality and primacy, providing the framework to understand hierarchical ministry itself. The Synod of Bishops exemplifies episcopal solicitude for the universal Church in communion with the Pope.
Ecumenical dialogues affirm this interdependence: primacy sustains synodality at every level, from local Churches to the universal. Recent teachings reject viewing synodality as a "counterweight" to primacy; rather, the Petrine ministry is "symphonically" articulated within it.
Synodality in the broad sense can be seen as the articulation of three dimensions: ‘all’, ‘some’ and ‘one’. In this vision, ‘the primatial ministry is an intrinsic element of the dynamic of synodality.
Synodality calls the Church to attentiveness to the signs of times, such as youth desires and women's rights. In youth ministry, it promotes a "journeying together" valuing charisms of laity, youth, women, and movements, fostering a participatory Church.
Youth ministry has to be synodal; it should involve a “journeying together” that values “the charisms that the Spirit bestows... No one should be excluded or exclude themselves”.
A synodal Church supports equality and reciprocity between men and women, combating discrimination and violence, while discerning legitimate claims. The 2023-2024 Synod on Synodality culminated in a Final Document emphasizing synodality as path of spiritual renewal and structural reform for a more participatory, missionary Church.
Ecumenically, developing Catholic synodality—e.g., enhancing bishops' conferences and lay involvement—bolsters credibility and "exchange of gifts" with other Christians.
Synodality operates on three levels: ordinary (daily life via Word and Eucharist), institutional (structures at local/regional/universal levels), and event-based (synods discerning under bishops' presidency with the Pope). It requires new processes for mutual listening and lay decision-making roles, balanced by sacramental authority.
Challenges include avoiding dilution of hierarchical roles; critiques note synodality's programmatic nature demands caution to preserve communion's sacramental basis.
Synodality embodies the Church's synodal nature as a journey of communion, participation, and mission, integrating all faithful under episcopal collegiality and Petrine primacy. It renews the Church for evangelization, as seen in recent synodal processes, while upholding Tradition. This vision invites every Catholic to active co-responsibility, walking together toward God's Kingdom.