Abbot Patrick Barry, oldest monk of Ampleforth has died

Abbot Patrick Barry OSB

Abbot Patrick Barry OSB, Benedictine monk of Ampleforth Abbey, died peacefully in the monastery infirmary at Ampleforth Abbey on Sunday 21 February 2016, just over two months after celebrating his 98th birthday. He had been a monk at Ampleforth for just over 80 years and his death was marked with the traditional tolling of the bell in the abbey church tower, with one toll for each year of Abbot Patrick's life.

He was born in Wallasey, Cheshire, on 6 December 1917 and went to school in Liverpool and then to Ampleforth College. From the school he joined the monastic community and was professed as a monk on 23 September 1939. Following studies at St Benet's Hall at the University of Oxford, Fr Barry returned to Ampleforth and became school librarian and Senior Classics Master. In January 1954 he became Housemaster of St Wilfrid's House and Deputy Head. Ten years later, in September 1964, he was appointed Headmaster of Ampleforth College by Abbot Basil Hume. In this role he also became Chairman of the Headmasters' Conference, a professional association of Heads of the world's leading independent schools.

He remained Headmaster until January 1980, and after a sabbatical worked in parishes in Cardiff and Dulwich. On 5 April 1984, Fr Patrick Barry was elected the sixth Abbot of Ampleforth. He was re-elected in 1992, and retired from office in March 1997.

The following year he went to live at St Louis Abbey, Missouri, as well as undertaking frequent and sometimes lengthy visits to Chile to work with the Manquehue Apostolic Movement and write its history. He lectured on monastic history both in St Louis and in Santiago.

At the age of 91, Abbot Patrick returned to Ampleforth Abbey, where he lived in the monastery infirmary and took an active part in community life.

Abbot Patrick was a renowned author, and his work St Benedict's Rule: A New Translation for Today, originally published in 1997, remains one of the most popular contemporary translations. His other works included Wisdom from the Monastery: the Rule of St Benedict for Everyday Life, and St Benedict's Prayer Book.

Abbot Patrick was also a master calligrapher, for some time Vice-President of the Society for Italic Handwriting. Many works in wood and stone at Ampleforth testify to his consummate skill and artistry: a war memorial in the school library, all the inscriptions in the Abbey Church, and monastic gravestones of his fellow monks who have gone before him.