German Bishops Elect Militant Pro-Homosexual as New President
He joined the religious order of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Dehonians) at the age of 19. Pope Francis appointed him as Bishop of Hildesheim in 2018.
"Blessing Ceremonies for Transvestites"
In an October 2021 homily, he called for "a fresh perspective on sexuality".
In 2022, he supported OutInChurch, a movement composed of homosexual Church employees.
Following the Vatican's rejection of the blessing of same-sex unions, Monsignor Wilmer released a press statement (25 January 2022): "We must continue to discuss the blessing of same-sex couples and should not treat it as a taboo. The point is to acknowledge the lived realities of same-sex partnerships today."
In September 2022, he voted in favour of a text from the German Synodal Way that sought to "change" Catholic sexual morality. The text called for the acceptance of homosexual acts and diverse fictive gender identities: "I struggle greatly with the fact that the two-thirds majority of the bishops was not achieved," said Bishop Wilmer. This was a "real disappointment".
In December 2023, Monsignor Wilmer welcomed the homosexual pamphlet Fiducia Supplicans describing it as "good news" and "direction-setting".
In September 2024, he appointed three people to provide pastoral care for homosexuals: "This team will provide guidance in cases as diverse as the baptism of a child from a lesbian couple, blessing ceremonies for transgender individuals celebrating their transition, and supporting families with non-binary children."
Picture: Heiner Wilmer © wikipedia CC BY-SA, #newsMutqevctpv