Father Magnus Lochbihler OSB

Father Magnus (Anton) Lochbihler, OSB, passed away peacefully on February 13, 2025, at the age of 94, during treatment at a military hospital in Monduli, Tanzania. Born in 1930, in Jungholz, Austria, he pursued education in Weingarten-Ravensburg and Kempten before completing his secondary studies at Paulinum Schwaz. His calling to monastic life led him to enter the novitiate at Georgenberg in 1950, making his temporary profession in 1951. He continued his theological studies in Rome, was ordained a priest in 1954, and engaged in catechesis and youth counseling before feeling drawn to missionary work in 1959.

That same year, he traveled to Tanganyika (now Tanzania) with six other Benedictine missionaries. He committed himself to Ndanda Abbey in 1965, serving in various parishes for over 20 years. In 1979, he joined a mission team in Mbulu, northern Tanzania, where he dedicated himself to evangelization. Recognizing the need for local catechists, he founded the Servants of Good News Sisters in 1984, a congregation that has since grown to over 100 members serving multiple dioceses. His dedication was recognized in 2015 when he received the Medal of Merit from the Province of Tyrol and an appreciation letter from the Bishop of Innsbruck for his lifelong missionary work.

In accordance with his last wishes and with the permission of the Ndanda community, Father Magnus will be laid to rest in Gitting, Mbulu Diocese, on February 20, 2025.  His legacy as a devoted missionary, educator, and mentor will be remembered by those he served. May he rest in the peace of Christ.