Karl Cardinal Lehmann

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Karl Lehmann
Enlarge
Karl Lehmann

Karl Lehmann (born May 16, 1936 in Sigmaringen) is a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, Bishop of Mainz and Chairman of the Conference of the German Bishops (German: Deutsche Bischofskonferenz) and thus the highest representative of the Catholic Church in Germany.

After school, Karl Lehmann studied philosophy and theology at the Albert Ludwigs Universität in Freiburg and the Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum in Rome, a famous seminary. He reached two academical degrees at the papal university Pontifical Gregorian University. In 1968 he became professor at the Johannes-Gutenberg Universität in Mainz. From 1971 until 1983 he was professor at the Albert Ludwigs Universität in Freiburg.

He was elected Bishop in 1983 and confirmed by the Pope that same year. On 2 October 1983 he was consecrated by his predecessor Cardinal Hermann Volk in Mainz Cathedral.

In 1987 he became chairman of the Congregation of the German Bishops. He was reelected in 1993, 1999 and 2005. On 28 January 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed him cardinal. He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI.

Preceded by
Joseph Höffner
Chairman of the Conference of the German Bishops
1987 – present
Incumbent