Fr. Pirmin Koumly (1840-1904)

Father Pirmin Koumly passed away July 27, 1904.

Blaise Koumly, born in France, in 1849 immigrated to the United States, entered St. Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa., became a scholastic and was given the name Pirmine or Pirmin.  He was professed in 1862.  He believed that there was a real, true Ghost Story alive and well at St. Vincent, and not wanting to live with that specter transferred to St. Benedict’s Abbey in 1864.  His first night there, one of the monks told him, “Frater, the thing you need most in these parts of the world is horsemanship. Here is a pony, get on and follow me.”  The two went to Deer Creek, north of the monastery.  This was his first horseback ride. His next ride was the following day 60 miles to Nemaha County, Kan.  He later referred to that day as the “never-soon-to-be-forgotten day in his life.”

Father Pirmin sitting at a desk inside of the Monastery.

Father Pirmin was ordained subdeacon, deacon and priest on three successive days by Bishop Miege in August 1865.  He made solemn vows after the ordinations.  He worked at the young college and did pastoral work throughout the area and was procurator of the community for a year ending in 1887. 

He was pastor at St. Mary’s, St. Benedict, Kan., in 1889 as well.  While there he built the now famous Church.  He was the first resident pastor in Seneca, Kan., and returned there in 1892.  He took ill there and returned to the Abbey where he was Master of Novices in 1894 until he died July 27, 1904. 

Father Pirmin was noted for his beautiful and clear penmanship. There is his hand written copy of a translation of the Rule of St. Benedict in the Special Collection of the Abbey Library.  Sugar Lake and Rushville ministry brought him into contact with French Fur Traders from New Orleans. They could converse in French!