Father Germain Swisshelm, OSB, a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, died Saturday, January 24, 2026. He was 91, in the 68th year of his monastic profession and the 65th year of priesthood.
Father Germain was born in Orrville, Ohio, on April 6, 1934, to Paul G. and Ethel (Pinnicks) Swisshelm and was named William Oliver at his baptism.
He earned bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and history at Saint Meinrad in 1956 and pursued graduate studies at Indiana University, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of San Marcos in Lima, Peru. He professed vows at Saint Meinrad on August 15, 1957, and was ordained to the priesthood on September 25, 1960.
Fr. Germain taught at Saint Meinrad’s St. Placid Hall (1960-62) and, in 1962, was a founding member of Saint Meinrad’s mission, Los Pinos, in Huaraz, Peru. He taught at the seminary and high school in Huaraz, served as associate pastor at San Juan de Lurigancho Parish in Lima, and was prior of Los Pinos for four years.
While in Peru, he studied Quechna and founded Estudios Culturales Benedictinos, producing a Quechua-Spanish dictionary and a nine-volume New Testament manuscript in Quechua.
Returning to Saint Meinrad in 1979, he worked in the Carpenter Shop and provided Mass assistance at Monte Cassino Shrine. He also served as Mass secretary, coordinator of liturgical readings, custodian of Mass intentions, and was involved in Hispanic ministry.
The Office of the Dead will be prayed at 7 p.m. Central Time on Wednesday, January 28, in the Archabbey Church. The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Central Time on Thursday, January 29, in the Archabbey Church, followed by burial in the Archabbey Cemetery. Services will be livestreamed at saintmeinrad.org/live.
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