Friday, 8 January 2010

Fr. Peter Logue Mt St Bernard Abbey


Friday, January 8, 2010

Father Peter Logue - RIP 1913 - 2010

This morning at 12:50 AM Fr. Peter died. He was a monk at Mount St. Bernard Abbey for 75 years, recently turned 96 years of age.

Fr. Peter was the oldest monk at Mount St. Bernard Abbey. He was the oldest monk to ever be at Mount St. Bernard Abbey and may have been the oldest monk in England.


He is lying in repose in the monk's church at the abbey. His small frame belied a great man. He was greatly loved. He will be greatly missed.


Thursday is the day we remember the Lord's Last Supper. Thursday was the last day Fr. Peter shared in the Eucharist, a foretaste of the Heavenly Banquet. On Friday we remember the Lord's own death. It was on the cross Christ said to the good thief, “I assure you: this day you will be with me in Paradise” (Lk. 23:43). May Fr. Peter share in the Heavenly Banquet today.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.


Requiescat in pace

Informmation from Blogspot

Declan Brett

http://scholacaritatis.blogspot.com/2010/01/father-peter-logue-rip-1913-2010.html




Fr. Nivard of Bamenda Cistercian Abbey, Cameroon, having known Fr. Peter Logue in both Foundation of Mount Saint Bernard & Bamenda, writes:


Peter Logue was born in Fife , he was brought up in Motherwell/Glasgow.

He entered 1935 after some years in seminary.

Under Abbot Malachy (1933-59), he joined in the daunting work of the Church construction, part of the lovely Pugin style Cistercian monastery.


I first met Fr Peter in 1952 when I entered Mt St Bernard Abbey. As from Glasgow , because of our accents, we made an immediate rapport, this in spite of the strict rule of silence and isolation of the novices. The novices sometimes helped Fr. Peter in the vegetable garden and flourishing glass-house. He was a hard worker and took his responsibility very seriously. However he had a fund of common sense and a good sense of humour. My cubicle was next to him so at times there was a bit of banter in sign language, of course, at which both of us were rather adept.


Father Peter’s father used to visit Mt St Bernard and quite a few times he came when my parents were also visiting me. As a young man he came from Glenfin parish in Co Donegal. This was also the parish of my parents and also of the father of Fr Andrew of Mellifont. The latter was also born in Fife .


When I entered, Peter was one of the youngest of the seniors and was impressive and businesslike at the liturgical ceremonies. He had a good voice and articulation and so from time to time he served as one of the assistant cantors or one of the ‘buffers’ on either side of them.

He taught moral theology and canon law. When we were doing the Sacraments, he told us the story of his mother. She had been a Presbyterian and on good terms with her minister. After her conversion and marriage, the minister used to visit her and was anxious to know the precise formula of the words for Baptism.


Peter was an excellent teacher and it was in this capacity that he came to Bamenda Abbey in Cameroon . Here he was perfectly at home and became an immediate favourite with the African monks.

His Guest House Retreats were also much appreciated especially by the Africa seminarians preparing for ordination. His last student at Bamenda was Dom Raphael of Nsugbe Cistercian Abbey whom he prepared for ordination.


He returned to Mt St Bernard after eight years and was sorely missed by the monks in Cameroon .

He always gave me a huge welcome on my home visits to Mt St Bernard, especially the last one, two years ago. Br Celestine from Nunraw visited him some time ago. As they said farewell Fr Peter said, “I’ll be seeing you in Heaven”.


Just before that Fr Peter had two bad falls. So he had one of the juniors, Br Adam, wheel him around the monastery so that he could greet the brothers. He always kept in touch with his brothers and sisters. No doubt this was the fruit of his keeping in touch with God in his daily following of our hidden Cistercian way of life. (Fr. Nivard).

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