Karl Bernhard Hesse MSC, MBE (15 August 1936 – 14 May 2023) was a German prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the auxiliary bishop of Rabaul from 1978 to 1980, bishop of Kavieng from 1980 to 1990, and Archbishop of Rabaul from 1990 to 2011.

Karl Hesse
Archbishop Emeritus of Rabaul
Hesse at a service in 2012
ArchdioceseRabaul
Appointed7 July 1990
Installed16 September 1991
Term ended11 August 2011
PredecessorAlbert-Leo Bundervoet
SuccessorFrancesco Panfilo
Previous post(s)Auxiliary Bishop of Rabaul and Titular Bishop of Naratcata (1978–1980)
Bishop of Kavieng (1980–1990)
Orders
Ordination23 May 1963
Consecration15 August 1978
by Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo
Personal details
Born(1936-08-15)15 August 1936
Died14 May 2023(2023-05-14) (aged 86)
Vunapope, Papua New Guinea
NationalityGerman
MottoCARITAS ET JUSTITIA
Coat of armsKarl Hesse's coat of arms
Styles of
Karl Hesse
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleArchbishop

Ministry

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Hesse was appointed auxiliary bishop of Rabaul on 27 April 1978. He was then appointed bishop of Kavieng on 24 October 1980. Hesse was appointed Archbishop of Rabaul on 7 July 1990 and was sworn in on 16 September 1991.[1]

On 11 August 2011, Pope Benedict XVI announced that Hesse had resigned as Archbishop of Rabaul for reasons of age. He was succeeded by Francesco Panfilo, who had been his coadjutor for a year.[2][3]

Honours and awards

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On his 52nd birthday in 1988, on the occasion of his silver jubilee as a priest and the tenth anniversary of his ordination as a bishop, Hesse received the Federal Cross of Merit with Ribbon. On 1 January 2002, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II and in January 2009 he was appointed Chief Grand Commander of the Papua New Guinea Government for 40 years of special services in action. Hesse was also awarded the Order of Logohu.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Archbishop Karl Hesse [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Papua-Neuguinea: Deutscher Bischof geht in Pension". Vatican Radio. 11 August 2011.
  3. ^ "RINUNCIA E SUCCESSIONE DELL'ARCIVESCOVO DI RABAUL (PAPUA NUOVA GUINEA)". vatican.va (in Italian). 11 August 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Bericht in der Westfälischen Rundschau". DerWesten. 29 January 2009. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Archbishop of Rabaul
1990–2011
Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of Kavieng
1980–1990
Succeeded by
Preceded by Titular Bishop of Naratcata
1978–1980
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Auxiliary Bishop of Rabaul
1978–1980
Succeeded by