ˌɔn sɛptˈɛmbɚ twˈɛnti sˈɪks, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti tˈuː hiː wʌz ɔːɹdˈeɪnd ɐ pɹˈiːst ɪn ˈɑːtʃən, ænd wˈɜːkt æz ɐ tʃˈæplɪn ɪn hˈuːkɪlhˌoʊvən ʌntˈɪl sɛptˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks.
On September 26, 1992 he was ordained a priest in Aachen, and worked as a chaplain in Hückelhoven until September 1996.