Fr Benjamin was born in London on 15 September 1961. He was educated at the Salesian College Battersea and left with six 0 levels and three A levels. He spent a year studying for a music degree at Goldsmith's College but left to pursue his interest in a religious vocation.
After two years as assistant at Westminster Cathedral Conference Centre he joined the Ampleforth community and received the habit of St Benedict on 9 September 1984 in the Abbey Church at Ampleforth. He made his final commitment through Solemn Profession on 5 September 1987. From 1986 to 1990 he was resident at the Ampleforth House in Oxford, St Benet's Hall, and studied Theology with the Dominicans at Blackfriars, where he completed his theological course for ordination. During his time of studies he always returned to his home in the Ampleforth community during the vacations.
He was ordained deacon in the Abbey Church at Ampleforth on 25 June 1989 and priest on 24 June 1990. On his return to full residence in the Abbey in that year he was appointed assistant to the Grange, our house of hospitality for guests who come here for retreats, reflection and participation in the daily sung Office in the Abbey Church. At the same time he was made assistant to the Vocations Director, doing much to respond to enquiries about monastic life and to encourage and inspire many young men whom he met in this work. It was also in 1993 that he was made Monastery Choir Master, and in the following year inspired and conducted the monastic choir in the recording of 'Vision of Peace'. He was able to combine this work with quite intense study for an external Music degree of BMus at London University. He passed the first part of this with first class honours in 1995 and was, at the time of his death, working hard for the second part of this degree course.
It caused a terrible shock and profound grief to all the community when he was found dead on Saturday morning 1 March. He seemed to be his normal self on Friday to all who had contact with him in a community in whose life he was deeply involved. He was a gifted Choir Master with the ability often to elicit a good response even from those not musically gifted. He taught novices and junior monks and for special events the whole community. We all held him in great affection and esteem and remember now with grief his gifts, his cheerfulness and his open character and the idealism which always seemed to make him ready and eager to help others. Many in the community and among the friends of the community will grieve deeply for a long time over the terrible and inexplicable tragedy which overtook him. His loss to us all is irreparable.
We found in his pocket book two texts which he treasured. The first is a meditation of Cardinal Newman:
The other text is a prayer of St Ephraim the Syrian which must be the prayer, in their grief, of the community who have lost him:
John Patrick Benjamin O’SULLIVAN 1961 Sept 15 b. Clapham 1961 Oct 8 bapt. St Mary’s Clapham 1972 Jan 25 confirmed St Francis of Sales, Clapham 1966 - 1973 ed. St Anne’s Infant & Junior School, Vauxhall 1973 - 1980 Salesian College, Battersea (6 0 levels 3 A levels) 1980 Goldsmiths College - music for 1 year 1981 - 1983 Westminster Cathedral Conference Centre - assistant 1983 Sept 9 Habit at Ampleforth Abbot Griffiths 1984 Sept 15 Temporary Vows Abbot Barry 1985 Acolyte 1987 Sept 5 Solemn Vows 1986 - St Benet’s Hall Oxford & Blackfriars for Theology 1989 June 25 Ordained Deacon by Bishop Harris at Ampleforth 1990 June 24 Ordained Priest by Bishop Harris at Ampleforth 1990 Sept Assistant in Grange and Asst Vocations Director 1990 Assistant Choir Master - School 1993 Commencement of study for University of London B.Mus. degree with David Bowman (4 year course) 1993 Sept Monastic Choirmaster Music tutor, ACJS. 1996 Mar 1 Died suddenly at Ampleforth Publications: ‘Vision of Peace’ CD