titular bishop of Tulana Auxiliary Bishop of Münster
Which position did Heinrich Timmerevers hold in Jul 2001?
Heinrich Timmerevers Heinrich Timmerevers ( born 25 August 1952 ) is a German prelate of the Catholic Church . A bishop since 2001 , he has been the 50th Bishop of Dresden-Meissen since 2016 . Early life and career . Timmerevers was born in Nikolausdorf in Kreis Cloppenburg in Lower Saxony , Germany , on 25 August 1952 , the second of six children in a family of farmers in an all-Catholic community . He attended Clemens-August-Gymnasium in Cloppenburg . He studied theology and philosophy at the University of Münster and at University of Freiburg . He wa ordained a priest on 25 May 1980 . From 1980 to 1984 he worked as vicar in Visbek . From 1984 to 1989 he was vice-director of the theology college in Münster and cathedral vicar . He then returned to parish work in Visbek in 1990 . On 6 July 2001 , Pope John Paul II appointed him titular bishop of Tulana and Auxiliary Bishop of Münster . He received his episcopal consecration on 2 September 2001 from Reinhard Lettmann , Bishop of Münster . In accordance with local practice , he led the Oldenburg region based in Vechta as an enclave diocese more in the manner of an ordinary than an auxiliary . He also met regularly with the evangelical bishop of Oldenburg . He advocated for the liberalization of Germanys immigration policies to show Germany as an open country and on behalf of refugees and Christians persecuted in the Middle East . He said that attitudes that spring from right-wing extremist ideology have no place in the Church . Dresden-Meissen . On 29 April 2016 , Pope Francis named him Bishop of Dresden-Meissen . Following his appointment , in interviews he underscored his commitment to developing a welcoming culture toward immigrants and friendly relations with Protestants . He advocated for attempting to maintain dialogue with the nationalist anti-Islamic party , Pegida , which was founded in Dresden , his new home city , but said there were limits to what could be debated : If someone disdains other people by skin color or religion , then I say , thats not okay . No one has the right to deny another person his inviolable dignity . That must be the basic consensus . Communicating this attitude is a Christian duty , but also generally a human duty in our society . That is what we have to do , not least because of our German history . He was installed as Bishop of Dresden-Meissen on 27 August 2016 . In November 2019 he told the Synod of the German Evangelical Church that churches that hear cries for justice and peace must side radically with the poorest . He praised the warm relationship among the Christian churches in Germany and asked for their support as the Catholic Church continued to address clerical sexual abuse in the Catholic Church . In a speech in Leipzig in December 2019 at the beginning of the German bishops national synod process , Timmerevers identified the status of women as the Churchs great dilemma , serious enough to threaten Church unity . He said : What I perceive hurts me very much , in three respects : that many women suffer , that this question has a potential to divide our church and that we bishops are held liable for it . He said he was open to allowing some priests to marry though he considers celibacy the ideal . Timmerevers is a member of the Focolare Movement , which is dedicated in social cohesion and dialogue . Within the German Bishops Conference he was a member of the Youth Commission for eight years and has served on other committees for more than a decade , including those for Consecrated Life and Spiritual Professions . Since 2016 he has been a member of the Pastoral Commission and of the Joint Conference of the Bishops Conference and the Central Committee of German Catholics . Since January 2012 he has performed pastoral work on behalf of the Order of Malta and served on its national governing board . In September 2020 , Timemrevers supported Blessing of same-sex marriages in Roman-Catholic Church . External links . - Catholic Hierarchy : Bishop Heinrich Timmerevers