Benedictine Father Barnabas Gillespie Passes Away
Benedictine Father Barnabas Gillespie, 70, a monk and priest of Saint Meinrad Archabbey and former associate pastor of St. Benedict Cathedral Parish in Evansville, died on July 28 at the monastery. He was a jubilarian of profession and priesthood.
Father Gillespie was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 13, 1947, and given the name Michael David at his baptism. He attended St. Francis High School Seminary in Cincinnati, and he attended Duns Scotus College in Cincinnati for a year before transferring to the University of Cincinnati.
Father Gillespie joined the monastery at Saint Meinrad in 1972 and professed his simple vows on Aug. 24, 1973. He graduated from Saint Meinrad College in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts in history.
Father Gillespie professed solemn vows on Aug. 24, 1977. He received a Master of Divinity from Saint Meinrad School of Theology in 1980 and was ordained to the priesthood on April 27. Following ordination, he served as guest master of the monastery for two years.
In 1982, Father Gillespie began a four-year assignment as associate pastor at St. Benedict Cathedral Parish in Evansville. He then returned to Saint Meinrad and, over the next 10 years, held such positions as retreat director, liturgical master of ceremonies, refectorian, house prefect and director of the vestry.
Father Gillespie returned to parish ministry in 1996, serving for one year as administrator of St. Augustine Parish in Leopold, Ind. (Perry County, and St. Mark Parish in Perry County, and then for one year as associate pastor of Guardian Angels Parish in Cincinnati. In 1998 he began a 14-year assignment as pastor of the parishes of St. Michael in Cannelton, Ind., and St. Pius in Troy, Ind., both in Perry County.
He returned to the Archabbey in 2012, ministering as a spiritual director in the seminary and assisting in the seminary’s liturgical practicum program. He served as chaplain to the Tell City Chapter of the Knights of Columbus since 2012.
He is survived by three brothers, Timothy, Patrick and Kevin.
Mass of Christian Buriall was celebrated on Aug. 3. Interment followed in the Archabbey Cemetery.
