Background
Heereman was born in Bad Neustadt an der Saale, Bavaria, on 10 September 1974.
Heereman was born in Bad Neustadt an der Saale, Bavaria, on 10 September 1974.
Heereman comes from the Dutch aristocratic Heereman of Zuydtwyck family. He is one of six children from the marriage of Johannes Freiherr Heereman, President of Malteser International, and the theologian, author, and journalist, Michaela zu Guttenberg. In 1994 Heereman entered the Legion"s novitiate in Germany.
He was ordained on 23 December 2006.
From 2007-2011 he was the territorial director of Germany, and then Northern and Central Europe. On 16 February 2012 Heereman was named to his new post of Vicar General by Cardinal Velasio de Paolis.
The Vicar General is second in command after the General Director. As of 15 October 2012, Heereman assumed the responsibility for running the Legion until the convocation of a General Chapter, as the former General Director, Álvaro Corcuera, was on sabbatical for health reasons.
In two letters, dated 9-10 October, both Álvaro and Cardinal Velasio De Paolis (the Legion"s Papal delegate) announced the sabbatical.