Abbot M. Basil Pennington, OCSO, dies – June 4th 2005.

On Tuesday, March 29, 2005 Abbot M. Basil Pennington, abbot emeritus of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, was critically injured in an auto accident near Spencer Abbey, Massachusetts. Injuries included broken ribs and crushed pelvis and sacrum. The driver of the other vehicle was not injured.

Update

Notice from Michael Povey, Published on St. James's Episcopal Church - Cambridge, MA

Dear Friends,

Fr. Basil Pennington died this afternoon [June 4th 2005] at 5:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time of injuries suffered in a car accident on March 29th. Although he had extensive internal injuries, he had been doing fairly well until today when he began bleeding again and clearly communicated his desire that nothing further be done to prolong his life. His Abbot, Fr. Damian and another monk and good friend, Fr. Matthew, were with him when he died. He will be buried from St Joseph's Abbey, Spencer, Massachusetts, at 2:00 PM on Wednesday June 8th.

It is perhaps fitting that Basil died on the feast of the Sacred Heart, since as his friend Michael Moran says, "He had the biggest and most loving and sacred heart of any human being I have ever known." Basil was one of the handful of individuals who founded the Mastery Foundation in the early 1980s and served for many years as our Chairman. He never wavered in his commitment to support and empower those whose lives are about sacred ministry. To him, life and ministry were rich, abundant gifts to be savored, enjoyed, and shared with all. Indeed, there was a larger-than-life quality about Basil.

Basil's ministry of presence and Centering Prayer was known all over the world and touched hundreds of thousands of lives. We give thanks for his life, for the privilege of knowing him, and for the countless gifts of love he gave us in such abundance.

I for one am grateful that he passed this way.

Comments

[A]

Thanks for posting this Paul.

[Mark Lodico]

Let us make something beautiful in memory of Father Basil Pennington, one of the three great original teachers of centering prayer, by sharing our prayers of gratitude, memories of his large, delightful and engaging presence, and our thoughts at his passing. Please write in whatever language you wish to use: Father Basil’s influence was felt around the planet through his many face to face teaching trips and his over one hundred books. He was buried at St. Joseph Abbey, Spencer, Massachusetts June 10, 2005 after a serious car accident March 29, 2005.

I have begun a memorial page for Father Basil at http://www.thecentering.org/guestbook/guestbook.html You may read what is there and follow the link on that page to write your own prayers or thoughts or go directly to http://www.thecentering.org/guestbook/addguest.html to add your own words.

[Kevin Powell]

I hadn't heard. Thanks for the notice. I great loss, indeed.

kgp

[gavin]

i just found this out. it's is a sad time. blessed we are though to have such incite from him in his writings.

[Donna]

I am praying that someone from the Monastery of the Holy Spirit would feel the calling to step up and help those of us who are out here in cyberspace, linked by Fr. Basil's centering prayer website, and consider being the moderator for this wonderful on line spiritual CP support group. We are struggling to keep his website alive and we are loosing momentum. Dear Lord please help us. Jesus we trust in you. Amen
CenteringPrayer@yahoogroups.com