Provost Thomas Besch is leaving Cottbus – who will be his successor?

Provost Thomas Besch is leaving Cottbus – who will be his successor?

In Cottbus it's time to say goodbye: After 19 years, Provost Thomas Besch is leaving the Catholic community and moving to the diocese leadership in Görlitz. His farewell service took place on July 6, 2025 and attracted large numbers of believers. The 64-year-old has been pastor for the greater community of Cottbus since 2021 and had previously served as provost of the parish of St. Maria Friedenskönigin. Thomas Besch was an active supporter of various initiatives, including the Academy Forum and blessing ceremonies for unbaptized young people. During emotional moments, he received gifts to mark his mark on the community, including a must-have: a book full of memories and a colorful stole.

The paragraph speech by Protestant Superintendent Georg Thimme particularly emphasized the importance of ecumenism in Besch's work. Through his interventions he has strengthened the connection between the different faiths and promoted ecumenical cooperation. In view of this valuable experience, the new provost, Daniel Laske, will take over from August 25, 2025, while the pastors Pastor Christoph Lamm and Chaplain Roland Pisarek will look after the community until then.

A change with tradition

The decision to elect Thomas Besch as the new cathedral provost was made on June 25, 2025. Dr. Alfred Hoffmann, who is currently pastor of Hoyerswerda, remains in the office of cathedral provost at the bishop's request. With the change, Besch will not only be deputy vicar general from July 1, 2025, but also provost of the cathedral in Görlitz. The ceremonial introduction as cathedral provost is planned for September 21, 2025 in St. James Cathedral. This tradition of handovers is deeply anchored in the religious life of the region and testifies to the continuity within the diocese leadership.

However, what is important in the Catholic Church and throughout the world is ecumenical openness. The central point here is the Second Vatican Council, which took place between 1962 and 1965 and is considered a kind of “Copernican turn” in the Catholic Church. It led to the church opening itself more and more to other denominations and becoming actively involved in the ecumenical movement. Against this background, in-depth cooperation between the churches is of central importance. Particularly in religiously divided countries like Germany, the dynamics of the common search for unity have changed noticeably.

Ecumenism is changing

The decree “Unitatis redintegratio”, adopted on November 21, 1964, establishes the Catholic principles for ecumenism and emphasizes the importance of dialogue between religious communities. Although young people today are less familiar with these issues, ecumenical cooperation remains an essential element of Christian unity. The Catholic Church, although not a member of the World Council of Churches (WCC), continually seeks theological dialogue and emphasizes that visible unity between denominations remains a common goal.

Thomas Besch's era is seen not only as his personal farewell, but also as part of a larger movement towards an integrative and unified church that focuses on dialogue and cooperation between faith communities. A strong step towards tackling today's challenges together.

The next few months promise to be exciting, both for the community in Cottbus and for the diocese leadership in Görlitz. Stay tuned for the next developments!