| His Excellency Rainer Woelki |
|
|---|---|
| Metropolitan Archbishop of Berlin | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Elected | 2 July 2011 |
| Enthroned | 27 August 2011 (0 years, 204 days) |
| Predecessor | Georg Sterzinsky |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 14 June 1985 (Priest) by Joseph Höffner |
| Consecration | 30 March 2003 (Bishop) by Joachim Meisner |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 August 1956 Cologne, Germany |
| Styles of Rainer Woelki |
|
|---|---|
| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Archbishop |
| Posthumous style | not applicable |
Rainer Maria Woelki (18 August 1956 - ) is Archbishop of Berlin since 2 July 2011.[1]
Rainer Maria Woelki was born on 18 August 1956 in Cologne as one of three children of parents who had been expelled from East Prussia at the end of the Second World War. He studied philosophy and theology at the Theological Faculties of the universities of Bonn and Freiburg im Breisgau.[2] On 14 June 1985 Cardinal Joseph Höffner ordained him a priest for the Archdiocese of Cologne.[3]
From 1985 to 1989 he was assistant priest at St Mary's Parish in Neuss. In 1989, he served for a short time as military chaplain in Münster.[4] In 1990, he became private secretary to the Archbishop of Cologne.[2]
From 1997 to 2011, he was Director of the "Collegium Albertinum", a residence for major seminarians of the archdiocese studying at the University of Bonn.[5] In 1999, Pope John Paul II granted him the rank of Chaplain of His Holiness, with the title of Monsignor. In 2000, he obtained a doctorate in theology, with a thesis on the ecclesiological place of the parish from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.[2]
On 24 February 2003, he was appointed Titular Bishop of Scampa and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cologne by Pope John Paul II. He was ordained a bishop on 30 March 2003 by Cardinal Joachim Meisner. He chose as his episcopal motto "Nos sumus testes" (We are witnesses), from Acts 5:32.[2]
As auxiliary bishop, he was given responsibility for the north of the archdiocese, with the cities of Düsseldorf and Wuppertal,[4] and was episcopal vicar for the doctrine of the faith and ecumenism, as well as being in charge of the permanent diaconate.[2]
Within the German Bishops' Conference, he became a member of the Commission for Vocations and Ministries of the Church and for Science and Culture. He was also appointed a consultor of the Holy See's Congregation for Catholic Education.
On 2 July 2011 Pope Benedict XVI ratified Woelki's election by the cathedral chapter of Berlin and appointed him Archbishop of Berlin.[2] The announcement came just two days after the death of Cardinal Georg Sterzinsky, whose resignation from the governance of the see had been accepted in February 2011.[4]
Woelki has been critcised by some German politicians for his language on homosexuality, and his suitability for the post of archbishop in a city with a significant gay population. In an interview with the Catholic journalist George Schwikart he described homosexuality as an offence against the "order of creation."[6][7][8]
After his appointment he said that “We will meet with each other,” he noted when asked about the city’s active gay community. “I have respect and esteem for all people independent of heritage, skin colour and individual nature. I am open to all without reservations.”[9] “The Church is not a moral institution that goes around pointing its finger at people,” Woelki said. “The Church is for me a community of seekers and believers and the Church would like to help people find their hapiness in life.”
He was installed as archbishop of Berlin and took formal possession of his see on 27 August 2011.
One of Archbishop Woelki's first tasks was to prepare for the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI to Berlin in September 2011 on his state visit to Germany, his third visit to his home country since he was elected as Pope in 2005, the first as a state visit.
Having been appointed on 2 July, he must wait almost a whole year, until the 2012 Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June), to receive his pallium as metropolitan archbishop.
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Georg Sterzinsky |
Archbishop of Berlin 2 July 2011 – present |
Incumbent |