Seeking God's will began in Edward's formative years as he grew up under the care of his wise and staunch Catholic parents together with his brothers and sister. When he arrived as a young boy at Ampleforth in the early twenties this virtue was fostered and deepened as he attended Mass, morning after morning, offering himself through Christ to God his Father. No doubt, too, the priestly lives of two uncles Fr Stephen and Fr Hildebrand Dawes, both Monks of his own Community and about whom he often spoke, must have made a significant impact on him. In particular he held Fr Stephen in great respect and admiration.
In 1927 he entered the Monastery. Eight years later in 1935 he was ordained Priest and for a brief period taught in the School. However his main work was to be elsewhere. For thirty seven years he threw himself unstintingly into pastoral work in six parishes dotted up and down the country as far south as Cardiff and in the north at Maryport. For seventeen years he was Parish Priest in Maryport and more recently for five years at Garforth. In May he returned to Bamber Bridge, the Parish where he began apostolic work in 1936. He was for many years the compiler of the 'Benedictine Almanac'.
Throughout all these years Father Edward remained ever faithful to his calling and his desires were fulfilled. Just as Our Lord went about his Father's business, visiting the sick, helping the poor, preaching, praying so too did Father Edward. There was ample justification when more than one parishioner at Garforth on learning of his death expressed opinions that he was the most saintly man they had ever met. He died on 16th September in Warwick hospital and is buried at Bamber Bridge. May the Lord grant him everlasting peace.
EDWARD CROFT 15 September 1973(**TEXT in AJ says 16 Sep)
1907 12 Nov Born Coventry
Educ Ampleforth
1927 23 Sep Habit at Ampleforth
1928 24 Sep Temporary Vows
1931 24 Sep Solemn Profession
1932 16 Feb Tonsure & Minor Orders Abbot Edmund
17 Feb " " " " "
19 Feb " " " " "
24 Jul Subdeacon
1933 23 Jul Deacon
1935 21 Jul Priest
1933 Sep Assistant M at Gilling
1935 Assistant at Ampleforth
1936 Jan Assistant Pr at Brownedge
1938-66 Editor Benedictine Almanac
1945 Assistant Pr at Cardiff
1947 Sep Assistant Pr at St Anne's Liverpool
1950 Assistant Pr at Leyland
1951 Oct Parish Priest at Maryport
1968 Parish Priest at Aberford
1973 May Assistant Pr at Brownedge
15 Sep Died(**Text in AJ says 16 Sep)
19 Sep Buried at Brownedge