Karl-Heinz Wiesemann

Karl-Heinz Wiesemann is the 96th Bishop of Speyer.

Life

Wiesemann was born in Herford, North Rhine-Westphalia in the archdiocese of Paderborn. He became a chaplain on 10 October 1985 in Rome. He later served as a priest in Bösperde, a suburb of Menden and provost of St. Petrus and Andreas in Brilon.
In 2002 Pope John Paul II named him Auxiliary bishop, to which he was ordained on 8 September 2002 in Paderborn Cathedral.
On 19 December 2007 Pope Benedict XVI named him the successor to bishop Anton Schlembach. He was installed to the office on 2 March 2008 in Speyer Cathedral.

Positions

In January 2014, Wiesemann supported married priests in Roman-Catholic Church. In February 2022, Wiesemann supported blessings of same-sex unions. He promised to respect the consciences of priests who refuse to bless the unions, while asking them to refer the couples to the diocesan office. This office would then contact another priest willing to bless the union. Remarried couples are to be treated the same way.