Vicar General
What was the occupation of Stefan Heße between Apr 2013 and Jan 2014?
Stefan Heße Stefan Heße is a German prelate of the Roman Catholic Church . He has been Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Hamburg since 26 January 2015 . The youngest bishop in Germany , he has often been outspoken on social and religious topics . Biography . Early life and priesthood . Heße was born in Cologne , Germany , on 7 August 1966 . Born to a family of bakers , he grew up in the citys Junkersdorf district . He attended George Büchner Gymnasium in Colognes Weiden district . After graduation in 1986 , he studied theology and philosophy at the University of Bonn and University of Regensburg . Heße was ordained on 18 June 1993 by Cardinal Joachim Meisner in the Cologne Cathedral . From 1993 to 1997 he was pastor at St . Remigius Church in the city of Bergheim . From 1997 to 2003 he was a lecturer at the Collegium Albertinum , a seminary in Bonn , while pursuing his doctorate . In 2001 he received his Doctor of Theology from the Philosophical-Theological School in Vallendar with a dissertation on Hans Urs van Balthasar , the Swiss Catholic theologian . From 2003 to 2005 he headed the Department of Pastoral Services of the Archdiocese of Cologne . Also in 2003 , he took up the additional position as the archdiocesan delegate for radio and television , a post he held until 2012 . On 1 May 2006 , Heße was appointed Deputy Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cologne . On March 16 , 2012 , he became Vicar General . On 28 February 2014 , Cardinal Joachim Miesner , Archbishop of Cologne , resigned and Heße was elected diocesan administrator . On 20 September 2014 , Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki was installed as Archbishop of Cologne . At the ceremony , Heße was reaffirmed as Vicar General . Archbishop of Hamburg . On 26 January 2015 , Pope Francis appointed Heße the fourth Archbishop of Hamburg , following the retirement of Archbishop Werner Thissen in March 2014 . His episcopal consecration took place on 14 March 2015 , with his principal consecrator being Bishop of Osnabrück Franz-Josef Hermann Bode . Co-consecrators were Archbishop of Cologne Cardinal Rainer Woelki and Norbert Werbs , Auxiliary Bishop of Hamburg . At 48 , he was Germanys youngest diocesan bishop . In a September 2015 plenary council , the gathering of German bishops and other clergy focused most of the discussion on the European migrant crisis that had begun earlier that year . The plenary elected Heße as the German bishops special envoy to the migrant crisis , which placed him in charge of the dioceses response efforts . Among the resources placed at his disposal were 100 million euros from Catholic dioceses and charities . which were set aside as aid for refugees both in and outside of Germany , and 800 unused church-owned buildings , which were designated as housing for migrants . On 18 March 2021 , after an investigation into the handling of accusations of sexual abuse on the part of priests in the Archdiocese of Cologne criticized Heße , he announced he was submitting his resignation to Pope Francis . Views . Environment and climate change . Heße commended Pope Francis second encyclical , Laudato si , which contains the pontiffs strong criticism for consumerism and irresponsible development and his lament for environmental degradation and global warming . In it , Francis calls for all people of the world to take swift and unified global action . Heße praised the encyclical , calling it valuable momentum for a worldwide ecological reorientation . He commented further , saying:He makes it clear that urgent issues of the future for the whole world and for all human beings have to be solved . Without a radical change of mentality this will not happen . Thus he underlines that the problems that concern all , can be solved only by all.In regard to the role of the Archdiocese of Hamburg , Heße said that we do not have many opportunities for development in this area , but the archdiocese had established an energy fund in 2009 containing eight million euros , five million of which had already been invested at that point . The funding was spent on 90 projects in 70 locations in the archdiocese , with efforts including the improvement of heating systems and insulation , and a shift to green electricity in parishes . The archbishop admitted that it was not satisfactory that only 25 out of around 80 parishes in the Archdiocese of Hamburg relied solely on green energy . Homosexuality and gay marriage . On 1 August 2015 , Heße called for the Catholic Church to be more realistic in regard to teachings on sexual morality . He said:We have to look upon the manifold ways and forms of living in which people live , as they now exist . Of course , [ I see ] same-sex couples entering the Metropolitan Cathedral of Hamburg , and nobody asking them to leave.Despite this , he said that he was still hesitant about homo-marriage . He made clear that the church needs to be available for all people , including gay people:When these people seek to be close to us , then we as Church are there for them . What else ? ...In my eyes , this does not minimize the love and fidelity between two people . Marriage and family life . In a May 2015 interview , Heße spoke about his views regarding marriage and families : I believe that freedom does not consist of me leaving everything open and free and undetermined , but instead , that I choose and commit myself . Analogously , that is also the case in marriage . ...I can’t permanently keep all options open , but I am only happy when I can concretely commit myself to someone . When asked if he ever wished to marry and have children , Heße responded:I can imagine myself as a father . In all honesty , that was a topic during my studies.That was very clearly a question I had to ask myself . For me it is a comfort that I can also see myself as a husband or father . I would have found it harder if I had told myself , well , you’re unsuited to be a father or husband , so you may as well be a priest . Divorce . In May 2015 , Heße stated his opinions on divorce in an interview , saying:In our understanding , I cannot get a divorce . Marriage exists until death separates the spouses . The idea is that I give myself fully and completely to a person and trust him or her fully and completely . That is a magnificent undertaking . I am happy that my parents are able to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary . Of course , I also know that marriages do fail.On 1 August 2015 , Heße announced that he wishes for remarried divorcees livable forms for the Churchs recognition and accompaniment , without giving up the ideal of marriage . Priestly celibacy . When asked in a May 2015 interview if celibacy is a disincentive for young men considering the priesthood , Heße responded:It is ; many young people object [ to it ] . For me , celibacy is more of a liberation and an expression that I put everything on this one card , namely God.When asked if celibacy was a relief for him , he said:Yes , because I believe freedom does not consist of me leaving everything open and free and undetermined , but instead that I choose and commit myself . Analogously , that is also the case in marriage . Pope Francis . In a May 2015 interview , Heße said that he thinks Pope Francis is a fascinating person , pioneering the way for the Church and todays world . Even evangelical Christians say , this is my Pope . Prayer . In a May 2015 interview with Norbert Vojta , Heße commented that one of the best forms of prayer for me is silence . When asked to elaborate , he stated that : Prayer is having a relationship with God . I cannot have a relationship with God when I talk nonstop . Sometimes , I see couples in love who are overjoyed , and just hug . ...I can retreat into silence , into my soul . This is one of the most important parts of prayer that only comes to me with time , and then I come to God . When asked how long he prayed every day , Heße said 30 seconds . The reporters were all astonished at his response , so he explained by saying but for those 30 seconds I have to prepare for half an hour . Church Labor Law reform . On 1 August 2015 , Heße defended recent reform of the Catholic Churchs Labor Law , and critiqued the position taken by some Bavarian bishops who have not fully implemented it , stating:Otherwise , we could not keep going , because we could not find enough qualified employees , in order to be able to run our institutions . I ask myself , what kind of image of the Church stands behind this ? Do we want to be a Church which has her place in the middle of the world ? Then , we have to be close to the life of the people , and we have to try to take along as many as possible . Or do we want , so to speak , a Church of the Pure , without existential difficulties and disruptions ? That indeed would then be a small , a very small crowdwhich only would have very few points of contact with its surrounding . Women ordination . In August 2020 , Heße supported ordination of women in Roman Catholic Church . Personal life . Heße is a fan of organ and classical music , and likes to attend concerts in the Laeiszhalle and the Elbe Philharmonic Hall . He admitted to not being a football ( soccer ) fan , humorously telling an interviewer , It would be the worst thing to pretend . That muse has not kissed me . Awards and honors . In 2005 Heße received the title Chaplain of His Holiness , and in 2010 , the title of Honorary Prelate .