Ledger Schepers was born on 18 April 1953 in the Osterfeld district of Oberhausen. He graduated from Novalis Gymnasium [de] there and then entered the seminary of the diocese of Essen. He studied theology and philosophy at Ruhr University Bochum and the University of Freiburg. On 2 March 1979, he was ordained a priest by Bishop Franz Hengsbach.[1]
Schepers worked as a chaplain in St. Boniface parish in Essen-Huttrop and Herz Jesu in Duisburg-Neumühl from 1979 to 1986. From 1986 to 1990 he was a youth pastor in Oberhausen and chaplain at St. Antony in Oberhausen-Alstaden. In August 1990, Schepers became pastor of the parish of St. Jude Thaddeus in Duisburg-Buchholz, into which other parishes were then merged. In 1994, he earned a licentiate in canon law at the University of Münster and in 1995 he became a diocesan judge. In 1999 he was named a member of the Priests' Council and the Church Tax Council of the Diocese of Essen. In 2002 he became dean of the Duisburg-Süd deanery. In 2006, after a reorganization of the parishes in the diocese of Essen, he became the first pastor of the newly founded large parish of St. Jude Thaddeus, which covers the area of the former Duisburg-Süd deanery.[2]
On 27 June 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him an auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Essen and titular bishop of Neapolis in Proconsulari.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on 19 September 2008 in Essen Cathedral[3] from Bishop Felix Genn[4] and was named episcopal vicar for universal church and social tasks. He has been resident canon of the chapter of Essen Cathedral since 5 September 2008, with responsibility for church services and pastoral care.[5]
In the German Bishops' Conference (DBK) he is a member of the Pastoral Commission, the Pastoral Commission's sub-group for Women in Church and Society, the World Church Commission, and the sub-commission for mission issues (especially MISSIO), of which he is chairman.[6]
For several years he was the Pastoral Commission's Queer-Beauftragter or Representative to the Queer Community[a] and has taken outspoken positions on the need for the Church to overhaul its views of sexual minority groups. In September 2022, after the German bishops at the general assembly of the Synodal Way failed to give the necessary two-thirds approval to a position paper on sexual ethics that 80% of the full assembly had endorsed, he criticized bishops who voted in the negative who had not contributed to the debate or raised no other objection than "tradition". He said: "If traditions are not alive, they are just dead letters that have already caused many crimes and... have caused a lot of suffering and continue to do so."[7] He told an interviewer: "Diversity is creation and creation is good."[9] In August 2023 he said he was proud that more than 20 dioceses had initiatives for pastoral care for the queer community and called for discussion of sexuality in relationships, not only in marriage. He also counseled patience and the need to work with the global church.[10] He has also advocated the erection of a female diaconate,[11] noting it has been discussed in Germany for fifty years.[9]
In late February 2024, the DBK appointed Schepers to the new position of Beauftragte für queere Pastoral or Representative for Queer Pastoral Care,[a] modifying his role from representing the Pastoral Commission to the gay community, giving him responsibility on behalf of the entire DBK, and transforming his mission from communications to coordinating pastoral outreach throughout the nation.[12] In addressing his work leading a national effort for gay and lesbians he said: "The German Church could point out that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality in principle. It should be made clear that traditional values such as responsibility in a partnership and reliability are gender-neutral."[13][14]
Notesedit
^ abIn German, the English word "queer" is used as "a collective term for people who are not heterosexual and for people whose gender identity does not conform to social ideas". (Queer ist ein Sammelbegriff für Menschen, die nicht heterosexuell sind sowie für Personen, deren geschlechtliche Identität nicht mit gesellschaftlichen Vorstellungen übereinstimmt.).[7] See, for example, Queer Berlin Liaison Officer or the German government's appointment of a Queer-Beauftragter in 2022.[8]
Referencesedit
^. Diocese of Essen (in German). 27 June 2008. Archived from the original on 1 November 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ ab"Rinunce e Nomine, 27.06.2008" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 27 June 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^"Lebenslauf Weihbischof Ludger Schepers". Diocese of Essen (in German). from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^"Im Dienst des Wortes Gottes" (in German). Dom Radio. 19 September 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^"Weihbischof Ludger Schepers". Diocese of Essen (in German). from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^"Mitglieder, Vorsitzende und stellvertretende Vorsitzende der Bischöflichen Kommissionen und Unterkommissionen". German Bishops Conference (in German). 20 September 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ ab"Queer-Beauftragter der Bischofskonferenz kritisiert Bischöfe". Kirche+Leben (in German). 14 September 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
^"Sven Lehmann ist neuer Queer-Beauftragter". Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (in German). 5 January 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
^ ab""Wir sind noch nicht weit genug"". Dom Radio (Interview) (in German). Interviewed by Hilde Regeniter. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
^"Weihbischof Schepers: Kirche muss queere Menschen ernst nehmen". Kath.ch. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
^"Weihbischof Schepers: Werden in Rom entschieden Frauendiakonat fordern" (in German). Katholisch.de. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
^"Katholische Bischöfe benennen erstmals Queer-Beauftragten". Stuttgarter Zeitung (in German). 22 February 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
^"First bishop for queer pastoral care sees opening of the church". Katholisch.de. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^"Essener Weihbischof Schepers zum ersten Queer-Beauftragten ernannt". Kirche+Leben (in German). 22 February 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
External linksedit
Wikiquote has quotations related to Ludger Schepers.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ludger Schepers.
Ludger Scheper on Catholic Hierarchy
April 25, 2024
ludger, schepers, born, april, 1953, german, prelate, catholic, church, been, auxiliary, bishop, essen, since, 2008, contents, biography, notes, references, external, linksbiography, editledger, schepers, born, april, 1953, osterfeld, district, oberhausen, gra. Ludger Schepers born 18 April 1953 is a German prelate of the Catholic Church who has been an auxiliary bishop of Essen since 2008 Contents 1 Biography 2 Notes 3 References 4 External linksBiography editLedger Schepers was born on 18 April 1953 in the Osterfeld district of Oberhausen He graduated from Novalis Gymnasium de there and then entered the seminary of the diocese of Essen He studied theology and philosophy at Ruhr University Bochum and the University of Freiburg On 2 March 1979 he was ordained a priest by Bishop Franz Hengsbach 1 Schepers worked as a chaplain in St Boniface parish in Essen Huttrop and Herz Jesu in Duisburg Neumuhl from 1979 to 1986 From 1986 to 1990 he was a youth pastor in Oberhausen and chaplain at St Antony in Oberhausen Alstaden In August 1990 Schepers became pastor of the parish of St Jude Thaddeus in Duisburg Buchholz into which other parishes were then merged In 1994 he earned a licentiate in canon law at the University of Munster and in 1995 he became a diocesan judge In 1999 he was named a member of the Priests Council and the Church Tax Council of the Diocese of Essen In 2002 he became dean of the Duisburg Sud deanery In 2006 after a reorganization of the parishes in the diocese of Essen he became the first pastor of the newly founded large parish of St Jude Thaddeus which covers the area of the former Duisburg Sud deanery 2 On 27 June 2008 Pope Benedict XVI appointed him an auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Essen and titular bishop of Neapolis in Proconsulari 2 He received his episcopal consecration on 19 September 2008 in Essen Cathedral 3 from Bishop Felix Genn 4 and was named episcopal vicar for universal church and social tasks He has been resident canon of the chapter of Essen Cathedral since 5 September 2008 with responsibility for church services and pastoral care 5 In the German Bishops Conference DBK he is a member of the Pastoral Commission the Pastoral Commission s sub group for Women in Church and Society the World Church Commission and the sub commission for mission issues especially MISSIO of which he is chairman 6 For several years he was the Pastoral Commission s Queer Beauftragter or Representative to the Queer Community a and has taken outspoken positions on the need for the Church to overhaul its views of sexual minority groups In September 2022 after the German bishops at the general assembly of the Synodal Way failed to give the necessary two thirds approval to a position paper on sexual ethics that 80 of the full assembly had endorsed he criticized bishops who voted in the negative who had not contributed to the debate or raised no other objection than tradition He said If traditions are not alive they are just dead letters that have already caused many crimes and have caused a lot of suffering and continue to do so 7 He told an interviewer Diversity is creation and creation is good 9 In August 2023 he said he was proud that more than 20 dioceses had initiatives for pastoral care for the queer community and called for discussion of sexuality in relationships not only in marriage He also counseled patience and the need to work with the global church 10 He has also advocated the erection of a female diaconate 11 noting it has been discussed in Germany for fifty years 9 In late February 2024 the DBK appointed Schepers to the new position of Beauftragte fur queere Pastoral or Representative for Queer Pastoral Care a modifying his role from representing the Pastoral Commission to the gay community giving him responsibility on behalf of the entire DBK and transforming his mission from communications to coordinating pastoral outreach throughout the nation 12 In addressing his work leading a national effort for gay and lesbians he said The German Church could point out that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality in principle It should be made clear that traditional values such as responsibility in a partnership and reliability are gender neutral 13 14 Notes edit a b In German the English word queer is used as a collective term for people who are not heterosexual and for people whose gender identity does not conform to social ideas Queer ist ein Sammelbegriff fur Menschen die nicht heterosexuell sind sowie fur Personen deren geschlechtliche Identitat nicht mit gesellschaftlichen Vorstellungen ubereinstimmt 7 See for example Queer Berlin Liaison Officer or the German government s appointment of a Queer Beauftragter in 2022 8 References edit Pfarrer Ludger Schepers neuer Weihbischof in Essen Diocese of Essen in German 27 June 2008 Archived from the original on 1 November 2008 Retrieved 9 March 2024 a b Rinunce e Nomine 27 06 2008 Press release in Italian Holy See Press Office 27 June 2008 Retrieved 9 March 2024 Lebenslauf Weihbischof Ludger Schepers Diocese of Essen in German Archived from the original on 18 August 2022 Retrieved 9 March 2024 Im Dienst des Wortes Gottes in German Dom Radio 19 September 2008 Retrieved 9 March 2024 Weihbischof Ludger Schepers Diocese of Essen in German Archived from the original on 29 September 2023 Retrieved 9 March 2024 Mitglieder Vorsitzende und stellvertretende Vorsitzende der Bischoflichen Kommissionen und Unterkommissionen German Bishops Conference in German 20 September 2016 Retrieved 9 March 2024 a b Queer Beauftragter der Bischofskonferenz kritisiert Bischofe Kirche Leben in German 14 September 2022 Retrieved 10 March 2024 Sven Lehmann ist neuer Queer Beauftragter Bundesministerium fur Familie Senioren Frauen und Jugend in German 5 January 2022 Retrieved 10 March 2024 a b Wir sind noch nicht weit genug Dom Radio Interview in German Interviewed by Hilde Regeniter 19 April 2023 Retrieved 10 March 2024 Weihbischof Schepers Kirche muss queere Menschen ernst nehmen Kath ch 3 August 2023 Retrieved 10 March 2024 Weihbischof Schepers Werden in Rom entschieden Frauendiakonat fordern in German Katholisch de 5 April 2023 Retrieved 10 March 2024 Katholische Bischofe benennen erstmals Queer Beauftragten Stuttgarter Zeitung in German 22 February 2024 Retrieved 10 March 2024 First bishop for queer pastoral care sees opening of the church Katholisch de 5 March 2024 Retrieved 9 March 2024 Essener Weihbischof Schepers zum ersten Queer Beauftragten ernannt Kirche Leben in German 22 February 2024 Retrieved 10 March 2024 External links edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Ludger Schepers nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ludger Schepers Ludger Scheper on Catholic Hierarchy Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ludger Schepers amp oldid 1219484913, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
