Who was Father Allen?
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Fr. Allen was born in Paris, IL on October 11, 1930. He is one of 12 children.
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After completing grade school in Paris, he attended St. Bede Academy and Junior College from 1944 to 1950, after which he entered the monastery's novitiate in July of 1950. He professed his first vows as a monk of St. Bede on July 11, 1951. He completed his college studies with a bachelor's of arts in philosophy from St. John's University, Collegeville, Minn., in 1953. He subsequently spent four years in theological studies at St. Bede. Bishop William E. Cousins ordained Allen to the priesthood on June 2, 1957, at St. Mary’s Cathedral Peoria. He was ordained a Benedictine monk in 1957. After ordination, he spent a year and three summer sessions at the Catholic University of America, where he obtained a master's degree in English literature, later supplemented by further study in England in the summer of 1982. In the fall of 1985 he devoted a semester to biblical studies in Israel under the direction of the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.
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Fr. Allen taught English for many years in both the academy and the junior college at St. Bede, and served as chairman of the department from 1962 to 1970 and again from 1981 to 1988, when he retired from teaching. He had also been prefect of boarding students from 1958 to 1969, director of development for the academy from 1970 to 1975, and ticket manager for a number of years. Mattingly also served as sub prior of the monastic community from 1988 to 1989, postulant master from 1991 to 1993, and member of the abbot's council and of the board of directors of St. Bede Academy at various times. He had been the head sacristan from 1988 to the present, land manager from 1989 to 2013. In that capacity he oversaw the maintenance and upkeep of the almost 1000 acres that encompass the Academy and Abbey grounds at St. Bede. He also served as the director of abbey housekeeping from 1988 to 1995. Over the years he also provided pastoral assistance to various parishes in the area.
Fr. Allen loved St. Bede and everything associated with it. He not only took an active interest in the students while they attended St. Bede, but also stayed in close contact with hundreds of them after they left the academy. Fr. Allen died unexpectedly on October 30, 2003 ten days after he underwent heart surgery
