Mäder made headlines when he said that there was no plan to allow women into the Swiss Guards. His reason was that the Guard's quarters were too small and the entry of women would lead to discipline problems.[1][2]
He was walking along the Popemobile on 6 June 2007 when a German man jumped over the security cordons and tried to jump into the vehicle.[3]
Mäder is married to Theresia Blöchliger and they have four children.[citation needed]