Gerhard Schwenzer

Gerhard Schwenzer was born on 1 October 1938 in Lorch, Hesse, in the Diocese of Limburg in Germany. After four years of school in his home town he spent nine years at the monastery school in Niederlahnstein run by the Picpus Fathers, known in Germany as the Arnsteiner Patres, and after his final exams he asked to enter the congregation.

After his novitiate he studied philosophy for three years at the order's house of studies in Simpelveld in the Netherlands, then theology in Rome and Heidelberg. He was ordained a priest at Simpelveld on 18 July 1964. His doctorate, defended in Rome in 1968, examined the concept of the Church in the thought of the Lutheran theologian Edmund Schlink, an observer at the Second Vatican Council. He then spent six years at Simpelveld as novice master and lecturer in systematic theology.

The Picpus Fathers had pastoral charge of the Catholic Church in central Norway, covering More og Romsdal and Trondelag, from 1931. Schwenzer was sent there after Bishop Johannes Ruth stepped down.

Key appointments: - Apostolic administrator of the vicariate of central Norway, 25 March 1974 - Vicar apostolic and titular Bishop of Holar, 29 August 1975 - Consecrated bishop by John Willem Gran in St. Olav's Church, Trondheim, 7 December 1975 - Bishop prelate of Trondheim, 23 March 1979 - Coadjutor Bishop of Oslo, 2 June 1981, installed 4 September 1981 - Bishop of Oslo from 26 November 1983, also administering Trondheim until 9 February 1988

In Oslo he founded parishes, built churches, supported children's and youth work and found priests for the many immigrant Catholic communities that arrived during his time. In 1989 he hosted Pope John Paul II during the papal journey to the Nordic countries.

As chairman of the Nordic Bishops' Conference he led pastoral letters including Protecting Life (1999), Caring for Life (2002), on genetics (2002), on learning to see others as Christ sees them (2002) and on the Iraq crisis (2003). He was a central figure in Catholic and Lutheran dialogue in Norway.

He asked to retire on 2 March 2005 for reasons of age and health. Pope Benedict XVI accepted on 29 July 2005 and named Bernt Ivar Eidsvig as his successor, who took over on 22 October 2005.

In retirement Schwenzer lived in Oslo, devoting himself to prayer and study and helping with confirmations, Masses and other church duties. He marked 30, 40 and 50 years as a bishop with jubilee celebrations, the last on 7 December 2025. When his health declined he moved to the St. Joseph Sisters' home at Grefsen, where he spent his final period among old friends.

Gerhard Schwenzer died on Sunday 8 November 2026 at the St. Joseph Sisters' home at Grefsen in Oslo, aged 88, after a period of illness. The Catholic Diocese of Oslo said he died cared for by the sisters and strengthened by the sacraments of the Church. No more specific cause was given.

His death was announced by Bishop Fredrik Hansen of Oslo and reported by Vart Land, Dagen and EWTN. His requiem Mass is to be held at St. Olav's Cathedral in Oslo on Tuesday 17 November 2026, followed by burial at Vestre gravlund.

Bishop Fredrik Hansen wrote that Schwenzer would be remembered as a very thoughtful bishop who recognised confirmation candidates decades after meeting them, as a theologian and preacher, and as a bishop who burned for ecumenical work. He was made a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 2006 for his work for inter-church cooperation, and received the St. Olav Pilgrim Cross in 2005. His vicar general, Father Sigurd Markussen, whom he ordained in 1996, said he showed real care for his priests.