Recent Events

Mr. Ernst von Freyberg resigned as Director General ad interim of Institute for Works of Religion

Bishop Max Georg von Twickel, Auxiliary Bishop emeritus of Münster (Germany), passed away at the age of 87

Bishop Rainer Klug resigned as Auxiliary Bishop of Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany)

Bishop Georg Weinhold, Auxiliary Bishop emeritus of Dresden–Meißen (Germany), passed away at the age of 78

Bishop Ernst Gutting, Auxiliary Bishop emeritus of Speyer (Germany), passed away at the age of 94

Archbishop Martin Krebs, Apostolic Nuncio to Cook Island, Apostolic Nuncio to Kiribati, Apostolic Nuncio to Micronesia, Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand, Apostolic Nuncio to Palau and Apostolic Delegate to Pacific Ocean, was appointed as Apostolic Nuncio to Fiji Islands, Apostolic Nuncio to Samoa and Apostolic Nuncio to Vanuatu

Archbishop Nikola Eterović, Secretary General of Synod of Bishops, was appointed as Apostolic Nuncio to Germany

Archbishop Jean-Claude Périsset resigned as Apostolic Nuncio to Germany

Msgr. Ansgar Puff was consecrated as Titular Bishop of Gordus, Auxiliary Bishop of Köln (Germany)

Fr. Gottfried M. Wolff, O.S.M. was appointed as Prior General of Order of Friar Servants of Mary (Servites) and Grand Chancellor of Pontifical Theological Faculty of Marianum

Archbishop Robert Zollitsch resigned as Metropolitan Archbishop of Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany)

Bishop Werner Radspieler resigned as Auxiliary Bishop of Bamberg (Germany)

Fr. Michael Gerber was consecrated as Titular Bishop of Migirpa, Auxiliary Bishop of Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany)

Fr. Johannes Wübbe was consecrated as Titular Bishop of Ros Cré, Auxiliary Bishop of Osnabrück (Germany)

Archbishop Ludwig Averkamp, Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Hamburg (Germany), passed away at the age of 86

Dr. Jochen Messemer was appointed as Member of Pontifical Commission for Reference on the Organisation of the Economic-Administrative Structure of the Holy See

Mr. Ernst von Freyberg, President of Institute for Works of Religion, was appointed as Director General ad interim of Institute for Works of Religion

Bishop Franz Xaver Eder, Bishop emeritus of Passau (Germany), passed away at the age of 87

Fr. Johannes Wübbe was elected Titular Bishop of Ros Cré and Auxiliary Bishop of Osnabrück (Germany)

Msgr. Ansgar Puff was elected Titular Bishop of Gordus and Auxiliary Bishop of Köln (Germany)

Fr. Michael Gerber was elected Titular Bishop of Migirpa and Auxiliary Bishop of Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany)

Archbishop Martin Krebs, Apostolic Nuncio to Guinea and Apostolic Nuncio to Mali, was appointed as Apostolic Nuncio to Cook Island, Apostolic Nuncio to Kiribati, Apostolic Nuncio to Micronesia, Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand, Apostolic Nuncio to Palau and Apostolic Delegate to Pacific Ocean

Bishop Reinhard Lettmann, Bishop emeritus of Münster (Germany), passed away at the age of 80

Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Metropolitan Archbishop of München und Freising (Germany) and President of Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, was appointed as Member of Council of Cardinals to assist in the governance of the Universal Church and to reform the Roman Curia

Bishop Bernhard Rieger, Auxiliary Bishop emeritus of Rottenburg–Stuttgart (Germany), passed away at the age of 90

Cardinal Walter Kasper, Cardinal-Priest of Ognissanti in Via Appia Nuova pro hac vice Title, Bishop emeritus of Rottenburg–Stuttgart (Germany), President emeritus of Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, President emeritus of Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews reached the age of 80 and became ineligible to vote in a future conclave (Germany)

Pope Benedict XVI resigned as Supreme Pontiff

Mr. Ronaldo Hermann Schmitz, President ad interim of Institute for Works of Religion, was appointed as Vice-President of Institute for Works of Religion

Mr. Ernst von Freyberg was appointed as President of Institute for Works of Religion

Fr. Rudolf Voderholzer was consecrated as Bishop of Regensburg (Germany)

Bishop Heiner Koch, Titular Bishop of Ros Cré and Auxiliary Bishop of Köln (Germany), was appointed as Bishop of Dresden–Meißen (Germany)

Msgr. Georg Gänswein was consecrated as Titular Archbishop of Urbisaglia, Prefect of Prefecture of the Papal Household

Bishop Rodolfo Pedro Wirz Kraemer, Bishop of Maldonado–Punta del Este (Uruguay), was appointed as President of Episcopal Conference of Uruguay

Bishop Rudolf Müller, Bishop emeritus of Görlitz (Germany), passed away at the age of 81

Msgr. Georg Gänswein was elected Titular Archbishop of Urbisaglia and Prefect of Prefecture of the Papal Household

Fr. Rudolf Voderholzer was elected Bishop of Regensburg (Germany)

Bishop Alfons Demming, Auxiliary Bishop emeritus of Münster (Germany), passed away at the age of 84

Fr. Sylvester Heereman, L.C. was appointed as Vicar General of Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ and Grand Chancellor of Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum

Archbishop Henryk Józef Nowacki, Apostolic Nuncio to Iceland and Apostolic Nuncio to Sweden, was appointed as Apostolic Nuncio to Denmark, Apostolic Nuncio to Finland and Apostolic Nuncio to Norway

Bishop Wilhelm Schraml resigned as Bishop of Passau (Germany)

Bishop Joachim Wanke resigned as Bishop of Erfurt (Germany)

Fr. Nasser Gemayel was consecrated as Bishop of Notre-Dame du Liban de Paris of the Maronites (France), Apostolic Visitor in Western and Northern Europe of the Maronites

Bishop Engelbert Siebler resigned as Auxiliary Bishop of München und Freising (Germany)

Bishop Paul Friedrich Wehrle resigned as Auxiliary Bishop of Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany)

Fr. Florian Wörner was consecrated as Titular Bishop of Hierpiniana, Auxiliary Bishop of Augsburg (Germany)

Fr. Nasser Gemayel was elected Apostolic Visitor in Western and Northern Europe of the Maronites and Bishop of Notre-Dame du Liban de Paris of the Maronites (France)

Bishop Vinzenz Guggenberger, Auxiliary Bishop emeritus of Regensburg (Germany), passed away at the age of 83

Fr. Heinz Kulüke, S.V.D. was appointed as Superior General of Society of the Divine Word (Divine Word Missionaries)

Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Bishop of Regensburg (Germany), was promoted as Prefect of Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, President of Pontifical Biblical Commission, President of Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei”, President of International Theological Commission and Archbishop ad personam

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki took possession as Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni Maria Vianney

Archbishop Henryk Józef Nowacki, Apostolic Nuncio to Nicaragua, was appointed as Apostolic Nuncio to Iceland and Apostolic Nuncio to Sweden

Bishop Rudolf Schmid, Auxiliary Bishop emeritus of Augsburg (Germany), passed away at the age of 97

Fr. Florian Wörner was elected Titular Bishop of Hierpiniana and Auxiliary Bishop of Augsburg (Germany)

Mr. Ronaldo Hermann Schmitz was appointed as President ad interim of Institute for Works of Religion

Mr. Ronaldo Hermann Schmitz resigned as Vice-President of Institute for Works of Religion

Cardinal Karl Josef Becker, S.J. took possession as Cardinal-Deacon of S. Giuliano Martire

Msgr. Dominik Schwaderlapp was consecrated as Titular Bishop of Frigento, Auxiliary Bishop of Köln (Germany)

Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Metropolitan Archbishop of München und Freising (Germany) and Vice-President of Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, was appointed as President of Council of European Bishops’ Conferences

Bishop Werner Guballa, Auxiliary Bishop of Mainz (Germany), passed away at the age of 67

Msgr. Dominik Schwaderlapp was elected Titular Bishop of Frigento and Auxiliary Bishop of Köln (Germany)