The German Catholic Bishops’ Conference (DBK) elected a woman for the first time as the conference’s top administrator on, in a move aimed at modernizing the body. Theologian Beate Gilles was appointed as general secretary of the conference, which is based in Bonn. After her election to the post, the 50-year-old noted her skills as a runner are also well suited to her new role.
“I am an endurance athlete,” Gilles said. “That means I know that a marathon is not decided in its 40 kilometers, but rather by the 1,000 kilometers in training — that’s my distance.” Gilles is taking on the role as Germany’s bishops face deep disquiet among 22 million German Catholics as well as demands for more leadership roles for women. During virtual bishop’s conference gathering, DBK chair Georg Bätzing described Gilles’ election as a “strong signal that the bishops are fulfilling their pledge to advance women into leadership positions.”
Gilles, who takes over as general secretary on July 1, will not only be the first woman to hold the top bishops’ conference post, but also the first layperson.
The high-ranking role of general secretary is responsible for implementing decisions made by the bishops.
She currently heads a department for youth, family, and childcare in Bätzing’s Limburg diocese.
From Stuttgart, where for a decade Gilles previously headed a Catholic educational entity, colleagues wished her endurance.