Josef Homeyer

Josef Homeyer ( born August 1, 1929 in Harsewinkel, † March 30, 2010 in Hildesheim ) was from 1983 to 2004 Bishop of Hildesheim.

Life

Josef Homeyer was named as the youngest of three children of Mr and Mrs August Homeyer Strotdrees and born Elizabeth Duke was born. He grew up on his parents' farm in Harsewinkel, attended the Gymnasium Laurentianum Warendorf and then studied Catholic theology and philosophy at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität in Münster and at the University of Innsbruck. In 1955 he received his doctorate with the work of development and concept of sociology as a Doctor of Philosophy ( Ph.D. ).

On February 11, 1958, he received at St. Paul's Cathedral in Münster ordained priest by Michael Keller. His home first Mass he celebrated on February 17 of the year in St. Lucia 's Church in Harsewinkel. From 1958 to 1961 he was chaplain at St. Joseph in Warendorf and St. Agatha in Mettingen, 1961-1966 diocesan chaplain for Catholic Rural People's Movement, 1966-1971 school adviser in the Diocese of Münster. In this position, he is one of the initiators and founders of the School for Peace of Münster, the first comprehensive school in Catholic-run in the Federal Republic of Germany.

In 1971 he was appointed Pontifical domestic prelates. From 1972 to 1983 he was secretary of the German Bishops' Conference and Director of the Association of German Dioceses (VDD ). He was also from 1972 to 1975 secretary of the Joint Synod of the Dioceses in the Federal Republic of Germany.

On August 25, 1983, he was appointed by Pope John Paul II for the 69th Bishop of Hildesheim. He received his episcopal consecration of the Archbishop of Cologne, Cardinal Joseph Hoffner, on 13 November 1983 at Hildesheim Cathedral. Co-consecrators were his predecessor, Heinrich Maria Janssen and Johannes Joachim Degenhardt, Archbishop of Paderborn. Furthermore, assisted the Auxiliary Bishops of Hildesheim Heinrich and Heinrich making Pachowiak.

In his tenure, Homeyer tried to the creation of new monasteries in his diocese. On 5 May 1988, the monastery Marienrode could be repopulated with ten Benedictines of St. Hildegard in Eibingen. In the same year Homeyer established the Research Institute of Philosophy Hanover.

Homeyer sat on the diocese borders and for the Church in Europe and the world church. So he founded the partnership with the Church of Bolivia. According to his consecration saying in mundum universum - Go ye led Homeyer talks with trade unionists and employers all over the world, standing in front of the Forum for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation and argued for the Aliens franchise. Homeyer campaigned for a enlargement of the European Union and the reference to God in the European constitution and Lower Saxony.

In the years 1989-1990 Homeyer convened with priests and lay a diocesan synod, to develop a future vision for the diocese of Hildesheim. Shortly before his retirement, he was the concept vertices 2020 sign, which responds to the sinking church tax and faithful numbers. So municipalities are amalgamated, churches closed and the pastoral staff to be reduced.

On 20 August 2004 Homeyers resignation, all the Catholic bishops must submit with the completion of their 75th year of life, adopted by Pope John Paul II. His successor was appointed on 29 November 2005 Norbert Trelle.

Homeyer was able to celebrate its golden anniversary as a priest on 17 February 2008 in the parish of St. Lucia in Harsewinkel, where he had 1958 celebrated the first Mass home.

Known in connection with the beginning of 2010 has become cases of abuse in Catholic institutions granted the emeritus bishop in February 2010 that in two cases, the allegations against the abuse accused priests of his diocese from the Diocese of line during his tenure as bishop taken seriously "too little and scope further developments were clearly underestimated. "

On the morning of 30 March 2010, he died around 4:30 clock after surgery at St. Bernward Hospital in Hildesheim. He was born on Saturday, April 10, 2010, initially buried in the St. Godehard Basilica Hildesheim. When the renovation of the Hildesheim Cathedral is finished, Homeyer to find his final resting place in the bishop's tomb.

Episcopal Coat of Arms

The heraldic shield divided into four shows in boxes 1 and 4, in turn, divided into two, the colors gold / yellow and red, the coat of arms of the Bishopric of Hildesheim. In section 2 and 3, the personal arms Josef Homeyers, on a black background the Greek letter tau ( T) in the sense of the word " sign" that Taukreuz the sign of salvation. The red / white screening on the dew refers to the founder of the Cistercian Order of the Saint Bernard of Clairvaux and recalls the Cistercian Abbey Marienfeld in his birthplace Harsewinkel. The red tongues of fire as a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

Standing behind the shield the bishop's cross, above the green bishop's miter ( Galero ) with six green tassels ( fiocchi ) including the motto.

His motto was: In Mundum universe - "( Come out ) all over the world ( and proclaim the Gospel )" ( Mk 16,15 EU).

Offices

Awards and honors

• Because of his efforts to the German -Polish reconciliation him the Officer's Cross of Merit of the Republic of Poland, was awarded on March 26, 2002.
• The University of Hannover gave him on 27 November 2002 an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Educational Sciences for his contributions to research and teaching.
• For the support of the Serbian Orthodox Church he received on 1 June 2004 from their St. Sava Order of the first degree.
• On 30 September 2004, he received the Lower Saxony State Medal for his international partnerships, the Research Institute of Philosophy Hanover and Episcopal Foundation Together for the life and mitverantworteten of him regulatory memoranda of Churches for the renewal of the social market economy. Upon him declining church foundations
• On 27 June 2005, he was the honorary citizenship of the town of Hildesheim was awarded.
• On 6 November 2005, he was awarded the Edith Stein Prize, because he strives for reconciliation with Poland, used for an enlarged Europe and has promoted the relations between Western Christians and the churches of Orthodoxy.