FR ABBOT writes:
Fr Sigebert was born in India in 1912 and finished his schooling at Ealing. He received the Benedictine habit from Abbot Matthews in 1931. Those who remember him as a Junior in the thirties recall his unwavering cheerfulness and approachability. It was no surprise when he was made Infirmarian and he served the community well in that capacity. He was ordained priest in 1939 and in February 1940 was sent to St Benedict's Warrington as Assistant. He remained there until 1948 when he was sent to St Austin's Grassendale. The years he spent there with Fr Felix Hardy were for him memorable judging by the readiness with which he would recall in later days his memories of Fr Felix.
In 1952 Fr Sigebert was sent to Workington as parish priest and remained in that post with increasing distinction for 25 years. During that time he was prominent in civil and diocesan life in what is now called Cumbria. He was a member of the Diocesan Education Committee and a Catholic representative on the County Education Committee. He served also on the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission. From 1970 to 1977 he was Dean of the local deanery. When Border Television invited him to be Catholic advisor it was a testimony to the universal respect in which he was held locally and the consequent obligation of keeping an eye on Television was not wholly unwelcome to him. It is certain that his comments and advice were eminently sane and balanced. As parish priest during all this time he was greatly loved and greatly respected - a pillar of the faith and a strong comforter of all in difficulty or trouble.
Fr Sigebert was 65 when he retired from position as parish priest at Workington and moved to our parish at Warwick Bridge as Assistant. In the six years he spent there he endeared himself to the parishioners of that parish also and was very contented himself; but that idyllic scene was not to last. Fr Sigebert was 71 when in 1983 he returned to the Abbey, first to become Assistant in the Grange and then Prior and Junior Master.
He was Prior for five years, until 1988. It was a remarkable and deeply appreciated final contribution in his life of service to the community. It had often been supposed in the community that, once a monk had settled in parochial work he could not without great difficulty return to ordinary community life in the monastery. Fr Sigebert returned to conventual life apparently without any difficulty at all. It was as though he had never left the monastery. Some of us remembered the distress with which he had faced the move to parish work in 1940. Now on his return it seemed as though it was just what he wanted, as though at last he was back where he had wanted to be all along. It was certainly what the community wanted at the time. He became a rock of stability and an example to all of good will, fidelity and service to the brethren. His cheerful and ample presence was reassuring to all. He loved telling stories, although the point was often lost in his own special mixture of laughter and giggle into which he used to dissolve at the crucial moment; it didn't matter very much; it was impossible not to join in as he heaved with abundant delight. Neither at this time in the evening of his life nor at any other did he push forward himself or his opinions. Paradoxically that made others, both young and old, all the more eager to hear his opinion, and it was not surprising that he served on the Council under four Abbots continuously for thirty six years. That is a measure of how much and how consistently he was valued and trusted by the community.
During his last years, if anyone asked him how he was, he was liable to reply that he was dying and follow up with a burst of infectious laughter. In fact there was truth in what he said; his health was deteriorating and various troubles began to accumulate. His perseverance in choir, in community life, in cheerful availability was impressive and inspiring. The community owes much to his lifelong fidelity and to the wisdom and encouragement which was always ready for those who came to him.
In the final year of his life he was appointed titular Prior of Durham, an honour which changed him only to the extent of broadening his smile, accelerating his effervescent chuckle, while probably, discreetly and humbly, giving him pleasure as a 'good and faithful servant'.
J.F.S. [Fr Felix Stephens]
DELETE THIS PARAGRAH#########?LAWRENCE SCOON writes from Workington:
Fr Sigebert came to Workington the year the Queen was crowned. The aftermath of the war was still being felt and to the new parish priest fell the reconstruction and, what we call today, the renewal of Catholic life in Workington. His predecessor was Dunstan Pozzi who with his experiments with English in the Mass and Masses facing the people had anticipated the Vatican Council by well more than a decade.
The 1944 Education Act had given Catholics many opportunities as well as many responsibilities and Dunstan Pozzi had initiated the making of what would be the first comprehensive school for the county. It was the inheritance of this responsibility which was to be a major part of the life and work of Fr Sigebert.
It was soon noticed that the new priest's interests were in liturgy and Catholic Action. He regarded the two as one or as one springing from the other and it was not long before he had established in this steel making town a section of the Y.C.W. and the Legion of Mary. He took the opportunity of using the restored Easter Vigil as soon as it was permitted and the parish must have been among the first in the British Isles to do this. At that time no one received Communion at the late Sunday Masses because of the tough Eucharistic Fast and some priests would not have encouraged or even approved such a radical break with tradition. But not Sigebert. When some parishioners asked if they could receive at the Sung Mass he was delighted. It is worth mentioning that this Mass was sung from the Liber Usualis by a choir of steelworkers who in the days of the Depression of the 1930's were taught to read and sing the chant as one way of breaking down the demoralisation of not having any employment.
The people were not silent, they too could sing the Common of any of three or four Masses. All this was encouraged by Sigebert; though not much of a singer himself he would do his best. He was helped by Laurence Bevenot who enhanced and enlarged the repertoire and Damian Webb contributed with his individual but lively and original liturgies.
When the Vatican Council's reforms were applied the results in some places were catastrophic with the upheaval of liturgical worship and the banality and triteness of what was being offered as progress in the liturgy. Not so in Workington where Fr Sigebert wisely allowed the liturgy to develop into a blend of what was good from the heritage of the past with what was worthwhile of the new. So the Sung Mass in Latin became a Sung Mass with plain song Common with the remainder of the liturgy in English. Other Masses used English only.
In time Sigebert's interests in education developed further when he became a co-opted member of the Cumbria Education Committee to represent the interests of Catholics. This somewhat restricting role soon widened and he was always available to be of service to anyone of whatever religious view and his relationship with Anglican and other representatives could not have been more harmonious, valuable or appreciated.
Ecumenism has a long history in Workington. During the war Abbot Herbert addressed large gatherings in the town invited by an ecumenical Christian Association which met regularly if not for prayer, for exploration and getting to know each other. The Vatican Council's encouragement of ecumenism fell on fertile ground in Workington and fraternals met in the Priory regularly. Sigebert was enthusiastic but prudent about ecumenism and hospitality played an important part in his approach. This hospitality extended to the liturgy as far as was possible without compromising Catholic attitudes and at Mass during Unity Octave weeks there were at least as many of our separated brethren in the choir stalls as priests concelebrating at the altar. And even today how many churches can say they have had an Anglican Bishop preaching at a Mass during which an Ulster Presbyterian Minister had just read from the Lectionary.
All this activity, strenuous and tiring though it must have been, did not reduce Fr Sigebert's pastoral responsibilities and as anyone who knew him would expect he was as conscientious in these as in anything else he took on. The planning, building and creation of the new school which he had inherited was completed with tact and sensitivity. The school was recognised as the best of its kind in the area and certainly much of the credit for this is owed to Sigebert's counsel and experience.
There is much more which could be said of Fr Sigebert. His patience, his tolerance, his piety or his concern for people which was not always easy for this reserved and private man to express. He was not one to trumpet his good works but there are many who have experienced them. What I shall remember about Fr Sigebert when my other memories have gone will be his sense of humour and his efferverscent laughter which bubbled up inside him into his eyes.
Sigebert was well liked in Workington by people of every kind. He was known to them and called by them a 'gentleman' always courteous and doffing his hat to anyone he met on the streets. But he was also known as a gentle man, never harsh, always kind and thoughtful. He never forgot anyone he had known.
Workington has a long Benedictine history. It was here Cuthbert's body was brought to be taken to Ireland and here where the monks of Durham let the Lindisfarne Gospels fall into the sea. Before the Reformation the parish belonged to the Abbey of St. Mary, York. The first monk to be publicly professed since the Reformation is buried in the parish graveyard and all during the Penal Days a monk said Mass in the parish. So Workington has been well served by many distinguished monks through the centuries. Sigebert D'Arcy is worthy to be counted with them. The earth brought from Workington to be scattered on his coffin was more than a conventional gesture. It speaks of what Sigebert is to Workington and of what Workington is to him. We know we have a friend in heaven.
DOM PATRICK SIGEBERT D'ARCY 16 November 1992
1912 11 Jan Born Lahore, India
1931 21 Sep Habit Ampleforth Abbot Matthews
1932 22 Sep Simple Vows " "
1935 22 Sep Solemn Vows " "
1936 29 Apr & 30th Tonsure, Minor Orders " "
19 Jul Subdeacon Bishop Shine
1938 17 Jul Deacon " "
1939 23 Jul Priest " "
Infirmarian at the time of Abbot Matthew's death
1940 26 Feb St Benedict's Waarington Assistant
1948 Oct St Austin's Grassendale Assistant
1952 Sep Workington PP
1952-58 Abbey Council
1966 21 Mar Diocesan Education Ctee (Lancaster)
Cumberland Education Ctee Catholic repres
1973 Cumbria Edcuation Ctee Catholic repres
1966-83 Lancaster Diocesan Education Commission
1970-73 Dean
1974-83 Catholic Adviser to Border Television
1977 Sep Retired as PP: Warwick Bridge Assistant
1983 Sep Returned to Ampleforth: Grange Assistant
21 Oct Appointed Prior
Nov Junior Master
1988 Retired from being Prior
1989 Jan to June Socius at St Benet's Hall
1992 16 Nov Died at Ampleforth peacefully after some months of illness