Father Richard died in a Liverpool hospital on 27th February. He will have been unknown to most of the readers of the Journal but his influence on Ampleforth will have been experienced by them even if they did not know it. In his own way he was repaying the influence that Ampleforth had had on him and this is some attempt to give a picture of the man to whom so many are indebted.
Ronald Wright was the second son of devout High Church parents. His father was a barrister and the family lived in Chelsea. Ronald inherited his parents' interests in architecture and music, particularly as they applied to churches and worship. In due course he was sent to the Dragon School, Oxford, where he came under the pervading Lynam influence, but for him the doctrine and worship there was far too fundamental and he asked that he should be allowed to attend Mass at Saint Aloysius's Church and he then placed himself under instruction and was received into the Catholic Church at the age of twelve. It was a remarkable effort for a boy so young, yet anyone who knew him well would never accuse him of an emotional conversion. He always had a certain shyness, more marked in his youth, and his decision was an act of conviction adorned by the grace of Faith. It was very unlikely that his mother's reception shortly before this had any marked influence on him. The decision was his, and in it he was followed by his three sisters. One of the consequences was that he was sent to Ampleforth instead of to Charterhouse where his father had been at school, and it was at Ampleforth that all his interests were to develop - the liturgy, literature, music and, above all, the organ which always had a fascination for him.
Apart from the masters who taught him in class he absorbed much from Fathers Placid Dolan, Bernard McElligott, Raphael Williams and Felix Hardy. These, above all, taught him to think and gave him the sure foundations in literary, artistic appreciation and musical taste which were to last him throughout his life. After a year spent with his family abroad he returned to Ampleforth, to the Novitiate, being clothed as Brother Richard in 1927. Later at Saint Benet's Hall he read Modern Greats and obtained a good second class honours degree. He absorbed a great deal from Oxford; from his tutors, Dr Kenneth Kirk (later Bishop of Oxford) and Mr R. L. Hall, and also from the friendship of many, especially Wilfrid Rooke-Ley and John Raby and from Abbot Vonier who was a frequent visitor. He also attended the lectures of Dr William Brown on psychology and earned the latter's respect for his sound ideas. He returned once more to Ampleforth for his theological studies and was ordained priest in 1937. He was editor of the Journal for two years and he taught for five, having quite a considerable influence in the School and helping many a boy over a difficulty, yet he was not an orthodox type of schoolmaster and in 1939 was directed to what was to be his real sphere of influence, parochial work. His first appointment was as a curate to Saint Austin's, Grassendale, Liverpool, and it was here that he learned the principles which were to make him so endeared to the people of that parish and where he made enduring friendships. In 1942 he was moved to Warwick Bridge, Carlisle, becoming parish priest in 1944, a position he held for eight years, giving much strength to the community of Benedictine nuns at Holme Eden. In 1952 he returned to Saint Austin's as parish priest and remained there as such till his death.
He was never happy in a crowd but always completely at ease with individuals: he never really enjoyed good health, slept badly and suffered from an involuntary lethargy; he used to say that he had been born middle-aged and never recovered from it. Yet he never complained although often suffering acutely, and these disabilities were never allowed to impair his generous service to others. By training not a scientific or technical man, he made himself into one; be became a skilful watch repairer, and an acknowledged expert in Hi Fi radio and the design and specification of organs. He was partly responsible for the installation of the choir organ at Ampleforth, his first 'job', and his knowledge and expertise were to widen and deepen until the moment came for the provision of an organ worthy of the completed Abbey Church. For this he was given a free hand and a virtually unrestricted purse and it became to him a labour of love, enabling him to use his art and experience in providing an instrument which would worthily praise God, support his brethren in their liturgy and be a memorial to his friends who had in great part made it possible. In everything except its position, in which he was in complete disagreement with the architect (wishing it to be at the east end) it has proved an unqualified success, receiving only praise from the eminent recitalists and other experts who have come to play or hear it. The general soundness of his judgment, his aesthetic sense and his amiability led Archbishop Heenan, as he then was, to invite Father Richard to serve on the committee for the building, furnishing and decoration of the new Metropolitan Cathedral at Liverpool, and beyond this to have the special task of drawing up the specification of the organ and commissioning it. This tribute was due to the undoubted success of the Ampleforth organ. He devoted a large amount of time and interest to these tasks.
This organ was naturally the larger instrument of the two and has also received much praise; Father Richard saw it through from start to finish, even selecting and inviting the distinguished organists whose recitals formed a part of the festival in celebration of the opening of the Cathedral. Few realised that this man over a considerable period would attend the Abbot's Council meetings at Ampleforth finishing perhaps at ten-thirty at night and then drive back to Liverpool in order to be at a Cathedral committee meeting twelve hours later. As is witnessed by his large correspondence, the success of these two great organs resulted in parish priests, organists and organ builders themselves, consulting him over a matter of specification, rebuilding or some technical point on the best position of an organ in some church. To all these he gave his patience and the benefit of his knowledge. His aim was always to have very good quality mechanically and tonally and this applied to both his organ design or to the gramophone or radio equipment which he helped others to acquire so that the music which meant so much to him should be as well reproduced as possible. His principal artistic interest was in music and his collection of records and tapes were mostly of Bach and organ music, but all the classical composers were well represented.
He had a whimsical sense of humour which was evident in his conversation and speeches. He was an extraordinarily good mimic; with the talent of the real humorist he would put his subject in some absurd situation and then portray how it would, characteristically, be dealt with. Although always funny, it was never unjust, still less unkind. It might be a senior member of the Community, or it might be the cockney conductor of a London bus winding its way down the King's Road, Chelsea; again it might be a railway guard, despatching his train and only just managing to get on it himself.
He was for seventeen years a member of the Abbot's Council, elected by the Community, and also their delegate at the General Chapter of the English Benedictine Congregation. He was sent with Father Robert Coverdale in 1952 to investigate the possibility of an Ampleforth foundation at St Louis and it was the result of their wisdom which persuaded the Community to make this successful decision.
This much of the man was evident to all who knew him, but to many others were revealed deeper things - a personal holiness which became increasingly evident in his private prayer and his self-dedication to those who really needed his help, whether a member of his family, his Community, a diocesan priest or a parishioner. To any such he was always a patient listener and after reflection would give the benefit of his wisdom and experience, always with warmth. He was no believer in theoretical charity, he made those who needed his help his real friends, showing them his affection without any embarrassment. These people whom he helped so much, whether in their faith, prayer, the conduct of their lives or in the very struggle for existence, these are the living memorials to a devoted priest and friend. So often a person under stress wants to talk and finds it so hard to start. Father Richard would understand this and turn the conversation towards music and perhaps play a record of some work by Bach, Handel or Mozart: the ice would thaw and the trouble begin to pour out: his real work would begin.
His health deteriorated in the past two years, yet he persisted in doing all he could for Saint Austin's and the many friends who relied on him. It was after an ecumenical meeting and an errand of great mercy which kept him out very late that he had a heart attack which was to prove fatal. He lived for forty-eight hours and was fully conscious on the second day, but collapsed and died peacefully, his task completed.
The Archbishop requested that his body be brought to the Metropolitan Cathedral for a Solemn Requiem Mass (celebrated by his Auxiliary, Bishop Harris, as he personally could not be present). Six of his brethren and two diocesan priests concelebrated and the other Auxiliary Bishop (Bishop Gray), the Cathedral Chapter, forty of the diocesan clergy and thirty of his own brethren were present: the Cathedral was nearly half full. Could there be a more fitting tribute or thanksgiving to a man who, by his wise personality, his patient service of others, and above all his unflagging charity, had won so much respect and gratitude? Previously there had been a Requiem Mass for his parish at Grassendale and a Mass for the children of Saint Austin's school, which in his time he had built. He lies beside the church, a few feet from the altar and sanctuary where for such a long time he had offered Mass, given the Sacraments and put himself at the disposal of so many in their troubles. May he remain in peace.
RONALD RICHARD WRIGHT 27 February 1969
1907 19 Mar Born London
While at the Dragon School, Oxford he read himself into the Church and brought his mother in with him
Educ Ampleforth
1927 Clothed at Ampleforth
1928 Temporary Vows
1931 Solemn Vows
1930-34 Read EPE obtaining a 2nd class at St Benet's Hall
1934 Taught at Ampleforth
1935 Subdeacon
1936 Deacon
1937 Priest
Editor of the Ampleforth Journal
1939 Curate at St Austin's Grassendale
1943 Warwick Bridge
1944 Parish Priest at Warwick Bridge
1952 Apr Parish Priest at Grassendale, an appointment which he held until his death
1954 Sent with Fr Robert Coverdale to examine the prospects of the foundation at St Louis
For many years he was on the Council of Seniors & was the Community delegate to General Chapter
1969 27 Feb Died in Liverpool
Buried at Grassendale
He had much to do with the design and building of the organs at Ampleforth & Liverpool Cathedral