Bernd Bornhorst, Managing Director of the Catholic aid organisation Misereor, comments on the death of Archbishop Werner Thissen, the former Misereor bishop:

"Misereor bids farewell to Archbishop Dr Werner Thissen, who died in Hamburg on 15 April 2025 at the age of 86. Misereor honours his 14 years of intensive commitment as a Misereor bishop - an office in which he worked with sincere dedication for people in need in the Global South.

Since 2000, Archbishop Thissen has been responsible for development policy issues and the aid organisation Misereor within the German Bishops' Conference. He was a reliable supporter of our work - with open eyes, a listening heart and a clear voice. Through his travels, sermons and public statements, he made the concerns of disadvantaged people visible. His encounters with project partners in countries such as Ethiopia, Bolivia and the Philippines had a particular impact on him.

As a committed pilot between the world church and world politics, the promotion of global justice was an important concern for him. The fight against climate change was particularly close to his heart: he repeatedly criticised the inadequate results of international climate conferences. He was one of the initiators of the study "Global, but just", published jointly with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, the contents of which were discussed with representatives of the world church at a symposium with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in the Vatican.

His commitment was not a question of age: last year, at the age of 85, he ran side by side with schoolchildren in solidarity runs to support Misereor's project work.

Werner Thissen was born on 3 December 1938. After studying theology and philosophy, he was ordained a priest for the diocese of Münster in 1966. He worked there for decades in pastoral care and in managerial responsibility, including as Vicar General, before being appointed Auxiliary Bishop in 1999. Pope John Paul II appointed him Archbishop of Hamburg in 2002 - an office that he characterised with spiritual conviction and deep faith for eleven years.

We keep Archbishop Werner Thissen in honourable memory. He never tired of campaigning against hunger and injustice - and for a world in which human dignity and compassion count."