Marcel Bluté was born in France near Poitiers on March 18th, 1866, and was educated at the Jesuit school in Tours. On June 8th, 1891, he received the Benedictine habit and the name Maurus in St Martin's Abbey, Ligugé. He obtained the degree of Bachelor of Letters in Paris and must have been a useful member of the community, for his ability was considerable, his artistic taste and skill much more than average, his energy superabundant. Busy though he was, he soon craved for more active work, especially after his ordination in 1897. He was therefore permitted to come to Ampleforth to test, and be tested in, English Benedictine ways. After eighteen months he was affiliated to our community in July 1902, and remained at Ampleforth until 1904, mainly occupied in teaching French and learning English. His tutor, a born teacher of original and humorous mind, gave him Dickens and Punch as textbooks, and so deserves (for he is happily still with us) some of the credit for the vivid and forcible language by which, both in conversation and from the pulpit, Fr Bluté constantly delighted and sometimes startled. Once after he had preached a Retreat a Reverend Mother wrote: 'Fr Bluté's spiritual doctrine was beautiful, but his language was scandalous.' Scandalous it certainly was not, but it may well have been unusual.
In 1904 he began a term of three years at Warwick Bridge; then he was chaplain to a convent in Carlisle for six years. From 1913 to 1926 he was in charge of Easingwold. Then, after a short stay at Brindle to help the ageing Fr Feeny, he spent seven years at Harrington. In 1934 his health began to fail, and he was never afterwards able to face responsibility, though he gladly and vigorously made himself useful in several parishes and as chaplain to the Benedictine nuns in Dumfries. The last three years of his life were divided between Horsforth, where the Sisters of Mercy devotedly combated his bodily infirmities and his consequent depressions, and Knaresborough, where he freely used his remaining strength to help a busy priest.
His magnificent frame wore slowly out, and he died, rather suddenly in the end, on February 15th of this year. His interest in his brethren and friends was unabated, and his piety, always simple and genuine, had gone on increasing in intensity and power. May he rest in peace.
MAURUS BLUTE 15 February 1942
1866 18 Mar Born at Poitiers France
Educ at Jesuit College at Tours
1891 8 Jun Habit at Liguge
1893 14 Jan Professed at Liguge Abbey
1894 24 Aug Minor Vows
1895 21 Dec Subdiaconate
1896 15 Jan Solemnly Professed
1897 12 Jun Deacon at Poitiers
18 Dec Priest at Poitiers
Studied at the University & took the degree of Bachelor of
Letters. His principal work in the Abbey was managing the
Printing Press. He applied for transferance to Ampleforth
1901 Jan Arrived at Ampleforth
Lived at several of parishes Brindle & St Mary's Warrington
1902 Jul Accepted by the Abbot & Conventional Chapter & became a monk
of Ampleforth
Taught in the school
1904 Nov Curate at Warwick Bridge
1907 Jan$$ Chaplain to Sisters of St Thomas of Villanrua in Carlisle
1913 Parish priest at Easingwold for 13 years
Brindle again for a short time
1927 Jul Parish priest at Harrington
1934 Jul Chaplain of the Benedictine Nuns at Dumfries
1935 Assisted Fr Bernard Gibbons at Grassendale
1937 His health quite broke down & he retired from active work
Rested at Stllington, Ampleforth & Horsforth & finally at
1940 Knaresborough with Fr Gerard Blackmore
1942 15 Feb Died at Knaresborough
Buried at Ampleforth