from 1997 to 2011, he was director of the "collegium albertinum", a residence for major seminarians of the archdiocese studying at the university of bonn. in 1999, pope john paul ii named him a chaplain of his holiness, with the title of monsignor. in 2000, he obtained a doctorate in theology, with a thesis on the ecclesiological role of the parish, from the pontifical university of the holy cross.