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In Memoriam

Father William M. German, SJ, died on July 4, 2017 at René Goupil House in Pickering, Ontario. Fr. German was 92 years old and had been in religious life for 73 years.

Fr. German was born in Toronto, Ontario. He attended De La Salle College and later Regiopolis. He entered the Guelph Novitiate in July 1943. After three years of philosophy studies at the Immaculée Conception in Montreal, he went to Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia to teach.

In 1950, he was assigned missionary work in Ethiopia. After a year back in Toronto for Theology Studies, he went to St. Mary’s College in Kurseong, Darjeeling to continue these studies.

Fr. German was ordained a priest on Nov. 21, 1956. He would remain in India for 31 years. He lived in Ranchi, Siliguri, Gayaganga and other places serving as headmaster, teacher, prefect, retreat director, associate pastor, and pastor. He was a teacher at St. Joseph’s College, North Point, Darjeeling for 14 years and a retreat director and chaplain for another eight years. He served in a growing mission with other Canadian Jesuits and Jesuits of Indian origin.

All his work was marked by his generosity and enthusiasm. Fr. German returned to Canada in 1985 to a year of studying the Spiritual Exercises at Guelph. He then moved back to Toronto’s Our Lady of Lourdes Parish where he contributed as an associate pastor for 29 years. He served under several pastors and was loved by parishioners.