Date of death: 7/28/2017
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1980
Fr. Barnabas Gillespie, 70, a monk and priest of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, died at 12:30 a.m. on July 28, 2017, at the monastery. He was a jubilarian both of profession and priesthood.He is survived by three brothers, Timothy, Patrick and Kevin.Fr. Barnabas was born in Cincinnati, OH, on April 13, 1947, and given the name Michael David at his baptism. He attended St. Francis High School Seminary in Cincinnati. He attended Duns Scotus College, Cincinnati, for a year before transferring to the University of Cincinnati.Fr. Barnabas joined the monastery at Saint Meinrad in 1972 and professed his simple vows on August 24, 1973. He graduated from Saint Meinrad College in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts in history.Fr. Barnabas professed solemn vows on August 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.From 1982 to 1986, he served as associate pastor at St. Benedict Parish, Evansville, IN. He 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.Fr. Barnabas returned to parish ministry in 1996, serving for a year as administrator of the churches of St. Augustine, Leopold, IN, and St. Mark, Perry County, IN, and then for a 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, Cannelton, IN, and St. Pius, Troy, IN.Since 2012, he had been a spiritual director in the seminary, assisted in the seminary’s liturgical practicum program and served as chaplain to the Tell City Chapter of the Knights of Columbus.