Cologne priest Jürgen Wenge elected Old Catholic bishop in Karlsruhe, Germany

The Old Catholic Church in Germany has elected Jürgen Wenge, 63, as its new bishop. According to katholisch.de, the election synod in Karlsruhe chose him in the second round with 92 of 127 votes cast, above the required 60 percent threshold. Kirche-und-leben.de reported that Wenge was elected the eleventh bishop of the Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholics in Karlsruhe, with its seat in Bonn.

Wenge was not on the ballot at the outset. Kirche-und-leben.de reported that he had initially ruled out taking the office for reasons of age, but changed his mind after receiving 61 votes in the first ballot. Katholisch.de similarly reported that he declared his candidacy after the first ballot, following encouragement from church members. In that first round, he outpaced Robert Gessmann and Walter Jungbauer, who received 14 and 24 votes. Katholisch.de also reported that the reigning general vicar, who had said he did not accept an election, received five votes in the first round.

Wenge succeeds Bishop Matthias Ring. Katholisch.de reported that Ring resigned in September upon reaching retirement age. Kirche-und-leben.de reported that Ring headed the diocese from 2010 to 2026. Both reports describe Wenge’s service under Ring: he served as Vicar General from 2010 to 2020, and katholisch.de adds that he had been a pastor in the Old Catholic congregation in Cologne and a member of the Synodal Representation from 2007 to 2020. Ring’s resignation and his succession mark a handover of leadership in the diocese, a moment that reflects faithful care for those who led before (Hebrews 13:7).

Kirche-und-leben.de reported that Wenge was born in 1962 in Recklinghausen and was ordained a priest in 1989 by Bishop Reinhard Lettmann for the Diocese of Münster. From 1994 to 1996, he worked as a university and student pastor at the Catholic University Community of Münster. Kirche-und-leben.de describes him as a surprise candidate from the Diocese of Münster, while katholisch.de notes his earlier priestly service in that diocese before his work in Cologne. He is married and has two children, according to kirche-und-leben.de.

Katholisch.de reported that Wenge meets the eligibility criteria for the office, including German nationality and the minimum age of 35. The two reports agree on the vote count and the main sequence of events, while they describe his background with slightly different emphasis, and this article reflects each version as stated by its source.