Münster (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Vacant
Heinrich Janssen, Auxiliary Bishop
Franz-Josef Overbeck, Auxiliary Bishop
Heinrich Timmerevers, Auxiliary Bishop
Josef Voss, Auxiliary Bishop
Reinhard Lettmann, Bishop Emeritus
Alfons Demming, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus
Friedrich Ostermann, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus
Max Georg von Twickel, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 800
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Köln {Cologne}
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Germany
Square Kilometers: 15,268 (5,897 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.bistum-muenster.de/
Mailing Address: Postfach 1366, Domplatz 27, D-48143 Munster, Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Telephone: (0251)4950
Fax: 495.523

Past and Present Ordinaries

Heinrich Graf von Moers † ( 1424 Appointed - 2 Jun 1450 Died)
Walram Graf von Moers † (14 Jul 1450 Appointed - 3 Oct 1456 Died)
Johann Pfalzgraf von Rhein † (11 Apr 1457 Appointed - 20 May 1465 Confirmed, Archbishop of Magdeburg)
Heinrich Graf von Schwarzburg † (Apr 1466 Appointed - 14 Dec 1496 Died)
Konrad Graf von Rietberg † (18 Apr 1497 Appointed - 9 Feb 1508 Died)
Erich Herzog von Sachsen-Lauenburg † (24 Feb 1508 Appointed - 20 Oct 1522 Died)
Friedrich zu Wied † (6 Nov 1522 Appointed - 24 Mar 1532 Resigned)
Erich Herzog von Braunschweig-Grubenhagen † (27 Mar 1532 Appointed - 14 May 1532 Died)
Franz Graf von Waldeck † (1 Jun 1532 Appointed - 15 Jul 1553 Died)
Wilhelm von Ketteler † (21 Jul 1553 Appointed - 2 Dec 1557 Resigned)
Bernhard von Raesfeld † (4 Dec 1557 Appointed - 25 Oct 1566 Resigned)
Johann Graf von Hoya zu Stolzenau † (26 Oct 1566 Appointed - 5 Apr 1574 Died)
Johann Wilhelm Herzog von Jülich-Kleve-Berg † (28 Apr 1574 Appointed - 18 May 1585 Resigned)
Ernst Herzog von Bayern † (18 May 1585 Appointed - 17 Feb 1612 Died)
Ferdinand Herzog von Bayern † (18 Feb 1612 Confirmed - 13 Sep 1650 Died)
Christoph Bernhard von Galen † (14 Nov 1650 Appointed - 19 Sep 1678 Died)
Ferdinand Reichsfreiherr von Fürstenberg † (19 Sep 1678 Succeeded - 26 Jun 1683 Died)
Friedrich Christian von Plettenberg zu Lenhausen † (29 Jul 1688 Appointed - 5 May 1706 Died)
Franz Arnold Reichsfreiherr von Wolf-Metternich zur Gracht † (8 Jun 1707 Appointed - 25 Dec 1718 Died)
Clemens August Maria Herzog von Bayern † (26 Mar 1719 Appointed - 6 Feb 1761 Died)
Max Friedrich Reichsgraf von Königsegg und Rothenfels † (16 Sep 1762 Appointed - 15 Apr 1784 Died)
Max Franz (Maximilian Franciscus) von Habsburg-Lothringen (Österreich) † (15 Apr 1784 Succeeded - 29 Jul 1801 Died)
Ferdinand Hermann Maria Freiherr von Lüninck † (28 Aug 1820 Appointed - 18 Mar 1825 Died)
Kaspar Max Freiherr Droste zu Vischering † (15 Jun 1825 Appointed - 3 Aug 1846 Died)
Bernard Georg Kellermann † (10 Dec 1846 Appointed - 29 Mar 1847 Died)
Johann Georg Müller † (1 Jul 1847 Appointed - 19 Jan 1870 Died)
Johannes Bernard Brinkmann † (6 Apr 1870 Appointed - 13 Apr 1889 Died)
Hermann Jakob Dingelstad † (15 Aug 1889 Appointed - 6 Mar 1911 Died)
Felix von Hartmann † (6 Jun 1911 Appointed - 29 Oct 1912 Appointed, Archbishop of Köln {Cologne})
Johannes Poggenburg † (7 May 1913 Appointed - 5 Jan 1933 Died)
Bl. Clemens August Graf von Galen † (5 Sep 1933 Appointed - 22 Mar 1946 Died)
Michael Keller † (19 Jul 1947 Appointed - 7 Nov 1961 Died)
Joseph Höffner † (9 Jul 1962 Appointed - 6 Jan 1969 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Köln {Cologne})
Heinrich Tenhumberg † (7 Jul 1969 Appointed - 16 Sep 1979 Died)
Reinhard Lettmann (11 Jan 1980 Appointed - 28 Mar 2008 Retired)

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
800	Erected		Diocese of Münster (erected)
23 February 1957	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Köln {Cologne} Diocese of Münster Archdiocese of Paderborn	Diocese of Essen (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1950 2,057,795 3,606,669 57.1% 1,466 84 1,550 1,327 680 8,465 622 ap1951

1970 2,158,802 3,731,680 57.9% 1,297 545 1,842 1,171 825 7,223 586 ap1971

1980 2,118,176 3,667,610 57.8% 1,197 429 1,626 1,302 64 690 5,850 686 ap1981

1990 2,086,279 3,811,147 54.7% 1,151 347 1,498 1,392 142 646 4,701 689 ap1991

1999 2,090,271 4,167,193 50.2% 1,092 285 1,377 1,517 201 452 3,674 689 ap2000

2000 2,085,526 4,212,631 49.5% 984 267 1,251 1,667 209 418 3,390 689 ap2001

2001 2,073,964 4,221,393 49.1% 942 266 1,208 1,716 190 408 3,279 688 ap2002

2002 2,072,037 4,243,619 48.8% 1,072 247 1,319 1,570 196 395 3,060 682 ap2003

2003 2,065,103 4,256,719 48.5% 1,068 243 1,311 1,575 226 385 3,066 681 ap2004

2004 2,056,427 4,317,937 47.6% 1,069 234 1,303 1,578 236 364 2,957 675 ap2005

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	2,057,795	3,606,669	57.1%	1,466	84	1,550	1,327		680	8,465	622	ap1951
1970	2,158,802	3,731,680	57.9%	1,297	545	1,842	1,171		825	7,223	586	ap1971
1980	2,118,176	3,667,610	57.8%	1,197	429	1,626	1,302	64	690	5,850	686	ap1981
1990	2,086,279	3,811,147	54.7%	1,151	347	1,498	1,392	142	646	4,701	689	ap1991
1999	2,090,271	4,167,193	50.2%	1,092	285	1,377	1,517	201	452	3,674	689	ap2000
2000	2,085,526	4,212,631	49.5%	984	267	1,251	1,667	209	418	3,390	689	ap2001
2001	2,073,964	4,221,393	49.1%	942	266	1,208	1,716	190	408	3,279	688	ap2002
2002	2,072,037	4,243,619	48.8%	1,072	247	1,319	1,570	196	395	3,060	682	ap2003
2003	2,065,103	4,256,719	48.5%	1,068	243	1,311	1,575	226	385	3,066	681	ap2004
2004	2,056,427	4,317,937	47.6%	1,069	234	1,303	1,578	236	364	2,957	675	ap2005

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Ludwig Averkamp (Priest: 10 Oct 1954; Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Jan 1973 to 7 Nov 1985)
Alfons Demming (Priest: 21 Dec 1953; Auxiliary Bishop: 6 Nov 1976 to 30 Apr 1998)
Erwin Josef Ender (Priest: 10 Oct 1965 to 15 Mar 1990)
Josef Homeyer (Priest: 11 Feb 1958 to 25 Aug 1983)
Heinrich Janssen (Priest: 2 Feb 1961; Auxiliary Bishop: 4 Jul 1986)
Franz Kamphaus (Priest: 21 Feb 1959 to 3 May 1982)
Reinhard Lettmann (Priest: 21 Feb 1959; Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Jan 1973; Bishop: 11 Jan 1980 to 28 Mar 2008)
Heinrich Mussinghoff (Priest: 29 Jun 1968 to 12 Dec 1994)
Friedrich Ostermann (Priest: 11 Feb 1958; Auxiliary Bishop: 27 Jun 1981 to 18 Jul 2007)
Franz-Josef Overbeck (Priest: 10 Oct 1989; Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Jul 2007)
Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst (Priest: 26 May 1985; Auxiliary Bishop: 14 Nov 2003 to 28 Nov 2007)
Werner Thissen (Priest: 29 Jun 1966; Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Apr 1999 to 22 Nov 2002)
Heinrich Timmerevers (Priest: 25 May 1980; Auxiliary Bishop: 6 Jul 2001)
Max Georg von Twickel (Priest: 6 Aug 1952; Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Jan 1973 to 6 Jul 2001)
Josef Voss (Priest: 10 Oct 1964; Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Mar 1988)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Wilhelm von Alhaus, O.S.C. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Oct 1758 to 26 May 1794)
Julius Angerhausen † (Priest: 21 Dec 1935 to 27 Jan 1959)
Nikolaus Arresdorf, O.F.M. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 23 Nov 1592 to 28 Mar 1620)
Heinrich Baaken † (Priest: 26 May 1923; Auxiliary Bishop: 26 Jan 1952 to 11 May 1976)
Clemens August Maria Herzog von Bayern † (Bishop: 26 Mar 1719 to 6 Feb 1761)
Ernst Herzog von Bayern † (Bishop: 18 May 1585 to 17 Feb 1612)
Ferdinand Herzog von Bayern † (Coadjutor Bishop: 5 Aug 1611; Bishop: 18 Feb 1612 to 13 Sep 1650)
Johannes Bischopinck † (Auxiliary Bishop: 26 Jan 1537 to 1547)
Johannes Boßmann † (Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Jun 1858 to 4 Aug 1875)
Laurenz Böggering † (Priest: 23 Feb 1929; Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Jul 1967 to 23 Feb 1979)
Jobst Edmund Freiherr von Brabeck † (Priest: 3 Jul 1667 to 19 Jul 1688)
Erich Herzog von Braunschweig-Grubenhagen † (Bishop: 27 Mar 1532 to 14 May 1532)
Georg Anton Brinkmann † (Priest: 29 Jan 1821; Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Mar 1852 to 7 May 1856)
Johannes Bernard Brinkmann † (Priest: 25 May 1839; Bishop: 6 Apr 1870 to 13 Apr 1889)
Johanns Christiani von Schleppegrell, O.S.A. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 7 Jun 1428 to 8 Oct 1468)
Johann Nikolaus Claessens † (Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Aug 1622 to 1 Apr 1650)
Franz Wilhelm Cramer † (Priest: 10 Aug 1838; Auxiliary Bishop: 13 Nov 1884 to 15 Mar 1903)
Joseph Deitmer † (Priest: 17 Dec 1887 to 19 Feb 1923)
Hermann Jakob Dingelstad † (Priest: 22 Jun 1859; Bishop: 15 Aug 1889 to 6 Mar 1911)
Kaspar Max Freiherr Droste zu Vischering † (Priest: 13 Jul 1793; Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Jun 1795; Bishop: 15 Jun 1825 to 3 Aug 1846)
Klemens August Freiherr Droste zu Vischering † (Priest: 14 May 1798; Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Apr 1827 to 1 Dec 1835)
Balthasar Fannemann † (Auxiliary Bishop: 26 Aug 1540 to 8 Oct 1561)
Adolf Fritzen (Fitzen) † (Priest: 16 Aug 1862 to 24 Jan 1891)
Ferdinand Reichsfreiherr von Fürstenberg † (Coadjutor Bishop: 19 Jul 1667; Bishop: 19 Sep 1678 to 26 Jun 1683)
Bl. Clemens August Graf von Galen † (Priest: 28 May 1904; Bishop: 5 Sep 1933 to 22 Mar 1946)
Christoph Bernhard von Galen † (Bishop: 14 Nov 1650; Priest: Aug 1651; Bishop: 17 Sep 1651 to 19 Sep 1678)
Maximilian Gereon Graf von Galen † (Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Jul 1895 to 5 Nov 1908)
Heinrich Gleumes † (Priest: 17 Dec 1921; Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Oct 1948 to 26 Aug 1951)
Max Franz (Maximilian Franciscus) von Habsburg-Lothringen (Österreich) † (Coadjutor Bishop: 16 Aug 1780; Bishop: 15 Apr 1784 to 29 Jul 1801)
Felix von Hartmann † (Priest: 19 Dec 1874; Bishop: 6 Jun 1911 to 29 Oct 1912)
Franz Hartz † (Priest: 13 Jun 1908 to 15 Feb 1953)
Weribold von Heys, O.F.M. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 10 Dec 1470 to 1477)
Joseph Höffner † (Bishop: 9 Jul 1962 to 6 Jan 1969)
Johann Bernard Höting † (Priest: 6 Jun 1846 to 10 Feb 1882)
Johann Graf von Hoya zu Stolzenau † (Bishop: 26 Oct 1566; Priest: 4 Oct 1567; Bishop: 5 Oct 1567 to 5 Apr 1574)
Everhard Illigens † (Priest: 9 Aug 1874; Auxiliary Bishop: 28 Feb 1909 to 2 Jan 1914)
Heinrich Maria Janssen † (Priest: 29 Jul 1934 to 3 Feb 1957)
Heinrich Joeppen † (Priest: 10 Aug 1875 to 27 Oct 1913)
Johann Wilhelm Herzog von Jülich-Kleve-Berg † (Bishop: 28 Apr 1574 to 18 May 1585)
Theodor Kappenberg † (Priest: 10 Aug 1873; Auxiliary Bishop: 27 Apr 1914 to 12 Sep 1920)
Michael Keller † (Bishop: 19 Jul 1947 to 7 Nov 1961)
Bernard Georg Kellermann † (Priest: 2 Aug 1802; Bishop: 10 Dec 1846 to 29 Mar 1847)
Wilhelm von Ketteler † (Bishop: 21 Jul 1553 to 2 Dec 1557)
Wilhelm Emmanuel Freiherr von Ketteler † (Priest: 1 Jun 1844 to 15 Mar 1850)
Max Friedrich Reichsgraf von Königsegg und Rothenfels † (Bishop: 16 Sep 1762 to 15 Apr 1784)
Johannes Kridt † (Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Mar 1550 to 16 Sep 1577)
Damian August Philipp Karl Reichsgraf von Limburg-Styrum † (Priest: 25 Jul 1745 to 29 May 1770)
Ferdinand Hermann Maria Freiherr von Lüninck † (Bishop: 28 Aug 1820 to 18 Mar 1825)
Franz Arnold Melchers † (Priest: 8 Apr 1789; Auxiliary Bishop: 21 Nov 1836 to 18 Feb 1851)
Paul Ludolf Melchers, S.J. † (Priest: 5 Jun 1841 to 3 Aug 1857)
Johannes Meler, O.S.A. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Jan 1518 to 1529)
Johannes Meppen, O.S.A. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1495 to 16 Nov 1496)
Godfried von Mierlo, O.P. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 14 Mar 1582 to 28 Jul 1587)
Heinrich Graf von Moers † (Bishop: 1424 to 2 Jun 1450)
Walram Graf von Moers † (Bishop: 14 Jul 1450 to 3 Oct 1456)
Johann Georg Müller † (Bishop: 1 Jul 1847 to 19 Jan 1870)
Ferdinand Oesterhoff, O. Cist. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 20 Dec 1723 to 20 Jan 1746)
Johannes Pelcking, O.F.M. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Dec 1619 to 28 Dec 1642)
Cunerus Petri † (Auxiliary Bishop: Jan 1580 to 15 Feb 1580)
Friedrich Christian von Plettenberg zu Lenhausen † (Priest: 20 Jun 1688; Bishop: 29 Jul 1688 to 5 May 1706)
Johannes Poggenburg † (Priest: 15 Jun 1889; Bishop: 7 May 1913 to 5 Jan 1933)
Johannes Pohlschneider † (Priest: 19 Apr 1924 to 30 Aug 1954)
Johann Peter von Quentell † (Auxiliary Bishop: 14 Aug 1699 to 13 Apr 1710)
Bernhard von Raesfeld † (Bishop: 4 Dec 1557 to 25 Oct 1566)
Johann Pfalzgraf von Rhein † (Bishop: 11 Apr 1457; Priest: 1 Apr 1458; Bishop: 26 Nov 1458 to 20 May 1465)
Konrad Graf von Rietberg † (Bishop: 18 Apr 1497 to 9 Feb 1508)
Heinrich Roleff † (Priest: 6 Jun 1903; Auxiliary Bishop: 7 Mar 1936 to 5 Nov 1966)
Bernhard Herzog von Sachsen-Lauenburg, O. Cist. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 23 Mar 1519 to 1536)
Erich Herzog von Sachsen-Lauenburg † (Bishop: 24 Feb 1508 to 20 Oct 1522)
Johannes Scheifes † (Priest: 17 Dec 1887; Auxiliary Bishop: 7 Mar 1921 to 10 Oct 1936)
Heinrich Schodehoet, O.S.A. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Jan 1494 to 1515)
Heinrich Graf von Schwarzburg † (Bishop: Apr 1466 to 14 Dec 1496)
Hermann Josef Spital † (Priest: 6 Aug 1952; Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Oct 1980 to 24 Feb 1981)
Bl. Niels Stensen † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1680 to 1683)
Johann Sternenberg † (Auxiliary Bishop: 7 Oct 1647 to 1652)
Heinrich Tenhumberg † (Priest: 23 Sep 1939; Auxiliary Bishop: 28 May 1958; Bishop: 7 Jul 1969 to 16 Sep 1979)
Johann Wilhelm Reichsfreiherr von Twickel † (Priest: 18 Jul 1717 to 27 Jun 1735)
Franz Bernardin Verbeck, O.F.M. Conv. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 19 Sep 1746 to Dec 1756)
Heinrich Hubert Aloysius Voß (Voss) † (Priest: 1 Feb 1866 to 12 Apr 1899)
Franz Graf von Waldeck † (Bishop: 1 Jun 1532; Priest: 29 Dec 1540; Bishop: 1 Jan 1541 to 15 Jul 1553)
Johannes Wennecker, O.S.A. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1454 to 1469)
Friedrich zu Wied † (Bishop: 6 Nov 1522 to 24 Mar 1532)
Heinrich Wienken † (Priest: 6 Jun 1909 to 22 Feb 1937)
Wilhelm Hermann Ignaz Ferdinand Reichsfreiherr von Wolf-Metternich zu Gracht † (Priest: 25 Dec 1702; Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Sep 1720 to 28 Oct 1722)
Franz Arnold Reichsfreiherr von Wolf-Metternich zur Gracht † (Bishop: 8 Jun 1707 to 25 Dec 1718)
Wilhelm Wöste † (Priest: 19 Dec 1936; Auxiliary Bishop: 6 Nov 1976 to 20 Dec 1986)

Diocese of Münster