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Historic First: Two Women to Lead German Deanery
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gloria.tv | July 22, 2026
Two women will jointly lead the Catholic Deanery of Bremen-Nord, Hildesheim Diocese, for the first time, marking a historic shift in church leadership. The decision was announced on July 21.
Ute Zeilmann is a theologian and will oversee pastoral ministry and the pastoral staff. Agnes Dobrzynski will lead administration. Both have worked in the Bremen-Nord deanery for several years.
To meet canonical requirements, Rev Johannes Pawellek will act as moderating priest, accompanying the new leadership team after his retirement in November 2026.
The pastoral team will also be joined by Rev Pradyut Bahla, an Indian priest currently pursuing doctoral studies in Frankfurt. He will serve in Bremen-Nord for five years.
The two women want “to embrace the global Church's call to synodality: leading together, listening to the Holy Spirit, and moving away from isolated leadership decisions”.
The Diocese of Hildesheim was led by pro-homosexual Bishop Heiner Wilmer until June 2026. He was promoted by Pope Leo XIV as Bishop of Münster on March 26 and was installed there on June 21. Münster is Germany's largest diocese by Catholic population.
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre