The Right Rev. Benedict McDermott, O.S.B., a monk of Mary Mother of the Church Abbey in Richmond, Virginia, a former abbot of the monastery and former principal of Benedictine College Preparatory, passed peacefully to God during the early morning of March 19, 2021, at the age of 87. Abbot Benedict displayed unshakeable faith, character and dedicated himself to the betterment of his fellow man. He was a Benedictine monk and priest for nearly six decades and served as abbot for 13 years.
Christened Raymond “Ray” Paul McDermott, he was born to Alvina and John McDermott Oct. 11, 1933. He was the ninth of 13 children in the McDermott family. Ray was raised in Belford, then a fishing village in Monmouth County; young Raymond could look across Sandy Hook Bay to see the boroughs of Staten Island, Manhattan and Brooklyn.
He attended St. Ann’s Grammar School, Keansburg, and Red Bank Catholic High School. Inspired to become a priest, he applied to enter the seminary for the Diocese of Trenton. However, there was no space available at the time, so Ray’s parish priest at St. Mary’s (New Monmouth) helped direct him toward Belmont Abbey, where he was accepted into the high school. Soon, he was on his way to his new home in North Carolina.
As soon as he was able, Ray joined the monks of Belmont Abbey and was given the name of Benedict. He made his first profession July 2, 1955. “It was,” he said, “the greatest day of my life.”
Father McDermott was ordained June 11, 1961. The following year, he was assigned to St. Benedict’s Priory and to the faculty of Benedictine High School in Richmond. A learned man, he initially taught French, government, theology and geography to the cadets. Eventually, he was able to narrow his focus to French, which he taught in lively fashion. Concurrently, he assumed parish duties at St. Benedict’s Parish (serving as pastor in the early 1970s). His final year in the classroom was 1971. Father McDermott also served as parochial vicar at St. Michael’s Parish, in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Benedict was elected as the first abbot of Mary Mother of the Church Abbey when it became an independent abbey in 1989. He served in that role with distinction, overseeing the purchase of 50 acres in Goochland County and the move of the monastery to that site. He was re-elected abbot by his fellow monks in 1999; however, health-related issues forced Benedict to resign his position in 2002. “I preached the homily at Abbot Benedict’s blessing on September 8, 1989, and only with sadness accepted his resignation,” said Abbot Timothy Kelly, abbot president of the American-Cassinese Congregation of the Order of Saint Benedict at the time.
In the monastery, he also served as novice master, teaching various formation classes to the new monks for several years. In his later years, Benedict served as the unofficial greeter to visitors of Benedictine College Preparatory. Seated in a leather chair in the main foyer, he was quick to say “hello friend,” along with a pun or a one-liner.
Above all else, Benedict wished to serve God and was faithful to his calling to the end. He loved being a priest; even when his physical health was declining, he made sure he celebrated Mass privately whenever he was unable to make it to the community Mass. He was a kindly, faith-filled man who dedicated his life to the service of his fellow man. He loved his monastic community and always had a big vision for the monastery and its school. He will be greatly missed by his confreres, family, friends and former students.
He was predeceased by his parents and his sisters, Alvina Johnston, Rita Gallagher, Ruth and Bernice, and brothers, John, Francis, Robert. Surviving him are his sisters, Lois Persson (Alexandria, Virginia); Sister Kathryn McDermott, S.C. (Riverdale, New York), Sister Ann McDermott, OSF (Lewiston, New York); and brothers, Joseph McDermott (Reedville, Virginia) and Donald McDermott (Little Silver); and 31 nieces and nephews.
A special thank you to the Little Sisters of the Poor and the staff at St. Joseph’s Home in Richmond, Virginia, for their dedication and spirit-filled and loving care of Benedict over these last years.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated March 27 in the Abbey Church, with burial in the Monastic Cemetery. Due to COVID-19 attendance was limited and the Funeral Mass was livestreamed on blileys.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the New Monastery Fund for Mary Mother of the Church Abbey at 12829 River Road, Richmond, VA 23238.
The article originally appeared in the April 1 – 7, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
