Werner's election as bishop in 1132 was supported by the Emperor Lothair III and Archbishop Bruno II of Cologne. His religious ideas were shaped by the reformers Bernard of Clairvaux and Norbert of Xanten. He was a patron of monastic foundations, especially the Premonstratensians. Early in his episcopate, Werner made donations to the Überwasserkirche. He was less generous to the secular clergy of his diocese, but a grant of wine he made to the canons of Münster Cathedral in 1137 remained one of their perquisites as late as 1574.[1]
In 1134, Werner gave the chapel of Wadenhart to Liesborn Abbey. In 1137, he consecrated a chapel at Prummern [de], which later fell to the congregation of the Überwasserkirche. In 1142, he confirmed the foundation of Hohenholte Abbey [de] by his own ministerialis, Liudbert von Holenbeck. Werner was also generous to Varlar Abbey [de] and above all to Cappenberg Abbey. He helped facilitate the transfer of Godfrey of Cappenberg's [de] lower body from Ilbenstadt Abbey [de] to Cappenberg, where it arrived on 12 February 1149. He himself solemnly raised the venerated relics in the church on 16 September 1150. In 1151, he founded the Premonstratensian double house of Asbeck [de].[1]
