Fr. Hilary Thimmesh, O.S.B., Ph.D.

Fr. Hilary has nearly 50 years of distinguished service to Catholic Benedictine education as an English professor and an administrator including two terms as president of Saint John’s University. After completing his bachelor's degree at Saint John's University, Fr. Hilary was ordained a priest in 1954 and then received his doctorate in English Literature from Cornell University in 1963.

From 1978-1980, Fr. Hilary served St. Martin's Abbey as apostolic administrator and as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University – contributing significantly to Saint Martin’s by reorganizing its governance moving the Board of Trustees to a body led primarily by lay people instead of monks and by updating the University's bylaws.

Fr. Hilary returned to Saint John's University where he served as its president for two terms - 1982-1991.