P. Antonio (Francisco) Ramirez y Padilla departed this life on 14 March 2019. He was born on 8 October 1933, professed his monastic vows at Cuernavaca on 17 January 1952, and was ordained a priest on 8 December 1961. At the time of his passing, he was a member of the monastic community of Abbaye Saint Benoît at En Calcat, France.
Coming from a large family of Guadalajara, Mexico, P. Antonio entered the monastery of Cuernavaca at a very young age. He studied for some years in Rome and came to En Calcat in 1965, near Mazamet where his Aunt Clarisse lived. He then asked to transfer his stability.
P. Antonio’s great culture, his taste for beauty, and his attention to extreme minutia allowed him to become a remarkable bookbinder. His recognized talent was used by his diocese of origin to restore a series of books from the 17th century, work that brought him back to his dear Mexico for seven years from 1998 to 2005. He also served as sacristan for a long time.
Having an original and independent character, he remained very attached to his family and faithful to his friendships. Becoming more isolated in his recent years, P. Antonio courageously faced physical suffering, especially the fears of becoming dependent due to age.
P. Antonio ultimately succumbed to a hemorrhage. His funeral mass was celebrated on Saturday 16 March 2019 at 14.30 at En Calcat. We recommend him to your prayers.
The Abbot and the Community
Abbey Saint Benoît d’En Calcat