Fabian Cowper
Encyclopedia
Dom Fabian Cowper a monk of Ampleforth Abbey
, was a Roman Catholic monk, who served as Master of St Benet's Hall, Oxford
from 1989 until his death in 1990.
friar, he decided to pursue his religious vocation back at Ampleforth, where he entered the novitiate in 1952, taking the monastic name Fabian. He read history at St Benet's Hall, before being ordained priest in 1961. After ordination, he taught at Ampleforth College and served as parish priest of Kirkbymoorside
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in 1970. From 1975 to 1977 he was Chairman of the National Conference of Catholic University Chaplains, also serving as chaplain to the Knights of Malta from 1974.
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Ampleforth Abbey
Ampleforth Abbey is a monastery of Benedictine Monks in North Yorkshire, England, part of the English Benedictine Congregation. It claims descent from the pre-Reformation community at Westminster Abbey through the last surviving monk from Westminster Sigebert Buckley.The current Abbot is Fr...
, was a Roman Catholic monk, who served as Master of St Benet's Hall, Oxford
St Benet's Hall, Oxford
St Benet's Hall is a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford. It is located at the northern end of St Giles' on its western side, close to the junction with Woodstock Road.-Composition and status:...
from 1989 until his death in 1990.
Early life
Born as Peter Charles Cowper in 1931, one of the five children of Major Charles Deane Cowper, and his wife, Lorna Christine Cowper, his career at Ampleforth began at St Aidan's House in September 1945. A strong athlete, he ran several times for the school in the 440 yards' sprint (the equivalent of today's 400 metres). After his schooling, he did his National Service and was then briefly articled to a firm of solicitors.Monastic vocation
After considering becoming a DominicanDominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
friar, he decided to pursue his religious vocation back at Ampleforth, where he entered the novitiate in 1952, taking the monastic name Fabian. He read history at St Benet's Hall, before being ordained priest in 1961. After ordination, he taught at Ampleforth College and served as parish priest of Kirkbymoorside
Kirkbymoorside
Kirkbymoorside is a small market town and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England which lies approximately 25 miles north of York midway between Pickering and Helmsley, and has a population of approximately 3,000.-History:...
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University chaplaincies
In 1967, Dom Fabian was appointed assistant Roman Catholic chaplain at London University, where he served for three years before being appointed Roman Catholic chaplain at York UniversityYork University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
in 1970. From 1975 to 1977 he was Chairman of the National Conference of Catholic University Chaplains, also serving as chaplain to the Knights of Malta from 1974.
Practice in psychotherapy
In 1977 he returned to London to study psychoanalysis and to qualify as a professional psychotherapist. From 1980 he practised as a professional consultant.Master of Saint Benet's Hall, Oxford
In 1989, he was appointed Master of St Benet's Hall, in succession to Dom Philip Holdsworth, who was retiring. However, soon after taking up the post, Dom Fabian was diagnosed with lymphomaLymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
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