Suche
Mein Konto
Priest anniversary: Four dignitaries celebrate 50 years in the diocese of Münster!
On June 23, 2025, four priests from the diocese of Münster celebrated their golden jubilee of ordination in the Borromaeum seminary.
Priest anniversary: Four dignitaries celebrate 50 years in the diocese of Münster!
On June 23, 2025, four priests from the diocese of Münster celebrated their golden jubilee of ordination in the Borromaeum seminary. On this special day, the jubilarians and their guests gathered to honor milestones in their priestly life.
The jubilarians who were ordained priests on June 8, 1975 in Münster are:
- Pfarrer i. R. Konrad Dreier (Beckum)
- Pfarrer i. R. Heinz Gellenbeck (Telgte)
- Pfarrer em. Heinrich Wernsmann (Steinfurt)
- Pfarrer em. Josef Wichmann (Dülmen)
The solemn mass, led by Auxiliary Bishop Wilfried Theising and new priest Jonas Mieves, emphasized the importance of the priesthood and the continued service of priests in the Church and the world. In his sermon, Theising recalled the active role of priests in society and their spirituality.
Memories of companions
An important part of the ceremony was the memory of the confreres who could not take part in the celebration, as well as the colleagues who died. This minute's silence showed the cohesion within the priestly community and the understanding of the challenges that many are faced with.
The celebrations on June 23rd are not the only occasions for the special day of honor in the diocese of Münster. On May 9th, a total of 16 priests celebrated their 60th or 50th anniversary of ordination under the leadership of Bishop Dr. Felix Genn. These events were rescheduled in the last two years due to the corona pandemic, as [kreisdekanat-coesfeld.de](https://www.kreisdekanat-coesfeld.de/artikel/16-priester-aus-dem-ganzen-bistum- Feiern-diamantene-und-goldene-weihejubilaeen) reports.
Bishop Genn also praised the priestly service of the jubilarians and described them as “door openers to God”. He also expressly thanked those celebrating who were unable to attend or who have already died. The priests celebrating their golden jubilee included well-known names such as Norbert Arntz from Kleve and Heinz-Werner Bittner from Visbek, while the diamond jubilee was celebrated by clergy such as Wolfgang Böcker from Schöppingen.
At the end of the festive mass, Jonas Mieves gave the first blessing to those celebrating their anniversary. Mieves himself was not ordained a priest until June 8, 2025, which made the celebration particularly significant for him.