Benedict’s Death May Clear the Way for Francis to Name Ultra-Liberal German Bishop Head of Vatican Doctrine Office, by Maike Hickson

Dr. Maike Hickson was born and raised in Germany. She holds a PhD from the University of Hannover, Germany, after having written in Switzerland her doctoral dissertation on the history of Swiss intellectuals before and during World War II. …

(LifeSiteNews) — At the end of 2022, an Italian blog revealed that a progressivist German bishop supportive of the German Synodal Path, Heiner Wilmer, might become the new head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. But then the appointment did not take place.

LifeSite was able to confirm, based on different sources, that Bishop Wilmer was, indeed, considered by Pope Francis as the future head of Doctrine, but that there have been several cardinals who intervened with the Vatican not to do so. Some of the names of these cardinals are known to LifeSite, but due to their wish to remain anonymous will not be disclosed.

LifeSite also learned that the appointment of Wilmer might have been merely delayed, due to Pope Benedict’s then-impending death. “I fear for a good reason,” said one senior Vatican source to LifeSite, “that Wilmer has been stopped merely intermittently, due to the impending death of Benedict, but that one will soon appoint him, after the path is freed.” …