Father Winfried Mayr OSB

Father Winfried (Adalbert) Mayr passed away on February 3, 2025, at the age of 81 in the infirmary of Saint Ottilien Archabbey. Born in 1943 in Illertissen, he lost his father in World War II and was raised by his mother in Pfaffenhausen. After completing his Abitur at the Sankt Ottilien Gymnasium in 1962, he joined the Archabbey, driven by a desire to contribute to missionary work. He took the name Winfried-Bonifatius during his novitiate and pursued studies in philosophy and theology, completing them with outstanding results. He was ordained a priest in 1968 and later specialized in catechetics and homiletics.

His pastoral career began in 1970 at the Benedictine Gregorius College in Laupheim as an educator and religion teacher. He later served in Jakobsberg Priory, Ockenheim, and Ober-Hilbersheim, excelling as a parish priest with a talent for organization and community-building. He played a key role in church renovations and the construction of a kindergarten in Ockenheim. In 1994, he took on a new challenge as a pilgrimage chaplain in Tabgha, Israel, where he guided pilgrims and deepened his biblical knowledge. Returning to Germany in 1997, he served in Greifenberg, Beuern, and Eching am Ammersee until his retirement in 2015, earning the lasting appreciation of his parishioners.

Even in retirement, Father Winfried remained active, working in the monastery library and assisting with pastoral duties. He had a deep appreciation for Orthodox Christianity and was passionate about history, publishing numerous articles on local and regional topics. Remembered as a wise, kind, and dedicated priest, he left a lasting impact on many through his pastoral care and intellectual pursuits. May God reward him abundantly.