Pope appoints Dominicus Meier OSB Bishop

On 28 May 2024, Pope Francis appointed Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Dominicus Meier OSB, previously Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Paderborn, as the new Bishop of Osnabrück.

Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Dominicus Meier OSB, born in Heggen in 1959, joined the Benedictine order at Königsmünster Abbey in 1982. After studying theology and philosophy, he was ordained a priest in 1989. He earned a doctorate in theology in 1991 and a degree in canon law in 1999. Meier served as Abbot of Königsmünster Abbey from 2001 to 2013, where he also managed the abbey’s school and was a sought-after advisor on canon and religious law. Following his abbacy, he became an official in the Archdiocese of Paderborn, where he was appointed auxiliary bishop in 2015. On May 28, 2024, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Osnabrück, succeeding Bishop emeritus Dr. Franz-Josef Bode. Meier is active in various commissions within the German Bishops’ Conference and the Apostolic Signature, and is involved in numerous social projects in the Holy Land.