Date of death: 1/2/2008
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1970
Fr. Wolfgang Bruno Mimms, OSST, 82, who served as Associate Pastor at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church for 20 years died after a lengthy illness. Fr. Wolfgang was born Sterling Mimms, Jr. on March 28, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois to the late Sterling and Ray Pickens Mimms. He was baptized conditionally Sterling Joseph Mimms in the Roman Catholic Rite on May 19, 1940 and Confirmed by Samuel Cardinal Stritch on June 3, 1941. He entered the Benedictine Community at Subiaco Abbey, Subiaco, Arkansas in 1963, making his profession of vows on September 8, 1964. He made Final Vows at Subiaco in 1967. He was ordained a deacon on June 8, 1969. On December 12, 1970 Fr. Wolfgang was ordained a priest at Subiaco Abbey. At the time of his ordination, Abbot Michael Lensing noted that Fr. Wolfgang was the first African-American to be ordained at the Abbey. On February 2, 1979, Fr. Wolfgang received the habit of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity. He made his Solemn Profession of Vows on April 24, 1980 at Holy Trinity Monastery in Pikesville, Maryland.During his time with the Trinitarians, Fr. Wolfgang lived in residence at St. Ann’s in Bristol, PA, and Holy Trinity Monastery, Pikesville, MD. He was an Associate Pastor in Trenton, NJ from 1982-84, and Toronto from 1984-85. He lived in residence at the Trinitarian Provincialate Community in Pikesville, MD from 1985-87. He was an Associate Pastor at Our Lady of Sorrows in Victoria, Texas from April, 1987 to 2006. He was in residence at Trinity House, Victoria, Texas from 2006 to 2007. Since September, 2007, he has been a resident of Texas West Nursing Home, Victoria, TX.Fr. Wolfgang will be remembered for dedication to pastoral ministry. He was sought out by many for spiritual guidance, confession, and blessings. Fr. Wolfgang was noted for his ability to befriend people and greet them as if they were Christ. Even during his illness, Fr. Wolfgang was active as a confessor and spiritual director. He had a love and passion for languages, particularly German, and had a noted collection of African and Egyptian artifacts which were displayed at venues in the Victoria area. He was also a talented pianist and enjoyed classical music.Fr. Wolfgang is survived by a brother Jackie of Chicago, a sister Irma Payne, formerly of Chicago, now of Oregon, a nephew, Michael Payne of Chicago, cousins JoAnne Williams of Malin, OR, Cynthia Faith Harris, San Jose, CA and Barbara Sagerman, San Jose, CA, and his Trinitarian Brothers.Information obtained from www.trinitari.org “