{"id":21597,"date":"2026-10-01T17:05:41","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T15:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/osb.org\/?p=21597"},"modified":"2026-10-01T17:05:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T15:05:41","slug":"art-vocation-and-community-the-life-of-fr-dunstan-massey-osb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osb.org\/de\/2026\/10\/01\/art-vocation-and-community-the-life-of-fr-dunstan-massey-osb\/","title":{"rendered":"Art, Vocation and Community: The Life of Fr Dunstan Massey OSB"},"content":{"rendered":"

Art, Vocation and Community: The Life of Fr Dunstan Massey OSB<\/h1><\/div>

A profile of Fr Dunstan Massey OSB, whose artwork has filled Westminster Abbey for decades, reflecting a life formed by monastic community and the Rule of Saint Benedict<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Your Content Goes Here<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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2014 - Abbey Church Crucifix<\/i> pdf<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Fr Dunstan<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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1971 - The Miraculous Draft of Fish<\/i> pdf<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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1974 - The Temptation of Saint Benedict<\/i> pdf<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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1961-63 - Ceramic Crucifix<\/i> pdf<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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1954 - Common Room Ceiling Panel A (Mercy & Fidelity)<\/i> pdf<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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1966-67 - Life of Saints Benedict and Scholastica (Egg Tempera)<\/i> pdf<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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1978 - The Curing of the Blind Man<\/i> pdf<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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1955 - Tree of Life<\/i> pdf<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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1949 - Death of Saint Joseph<\/i> pdf<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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1 Oktober 2026<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Editor\u2019s note: In our correspondence for this feature, Father Caesarius Marple asked us to write the article about Fr Dunstan. However, the biography he supplied pointed to something larger than the artwork: that of Fr Dunstan\u2019s relationship with his community. We thought this was a beautiful testimony, so we decided to keep the biography unchanged.<\/em><\/p>\n

In addition, for a more complete survey of Fr Dunstan\u2019s work, please visit Westminster Abbey\u2019s web page. There you will find many more images and, as we have included here, pdf documents of specific series describing the work, the philosophy and the creation process of this remarkable body of work. The link is below.<\/em><\/p>\n

Bill Massey was born in Vancouver, on 16 April 1924, and baptised in Saint Patrick\u2019s Parish. Already in elementary school, his natural gift for art was obvious to many. He recounts how the Sisters of Saint Joseph (who ran the school at that time) would have him draw seasonal designs on the classroom chalkboards. At the age of 15, with the help of a generous benefactor, Amelia Buckerfield, Bill was accepted into the Vancouver School of Art. A year later he was asked to give an exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery. This was a very exciting time for Bill and his family seeing how he would be the youngest artist ever to participate. However, with the death of his grandmother, Bill, who was now 18 years old, entered a period of reflection. He began going to the library and reading books written by the Church\u2019s spiritual Fathers. It was while reading Saint Bernard\u2019s On the Love of God<\/em> that his vocation became clear. He would become a priest.<\/p>\n

In September of that same year, 1942, he was admitted into Deer Lake Seminary run by the Benedictine monks of Westminster Priory. It would be during his seminary years that he would make the decision to join the religious life himself. So, in 1949, Bill began his novitiate. He expressed to his superiors that he was ready to leave everything, even his gift of art, but the Lord had other plans for him. Throughout his life, Father Dunstan (Bill\u2019s religious name) would produce many magnificent paintings and sculptures.<\/p>\n

Sixty five years have passed since his novitiate days and it is difficult to find a room in the abbey not adorned by one of his works. For example, in the Minor Seminary Chapel there hangs his beautiful Ceramic Crucifix<\/em>; or if one walks into the abbey church, one is surrounded by a myriad of reliefs emerging from the concrete walls. Perhaps Fr Dunstan\u2019s most celebrated work is his fresco The Temptation of Saint Benedict<\/em>. The painting radiates the triumph of a youth over the world and its riches. It reflects the life of Fr Dunstan who, like Saint Benedict, conquered Satan when tempted by the world. His artistic talent probably would have led him to a prestigious career in art, but instead, he chose the \u201cpath of life,\u201d as Saint Benedict puts it in his Rule<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Our community is grateful for Fr Dunstan, not only for the many masterpieces he has left for our abbey, but for the man he is behind the brush. A confrere relates how he once heard Fr Dunstan speaking to a minor seminarian after a drama performance. The seminarian had played the part of Jesus and his acting greatly impressed Father. Afterwards, Fr Dunstan warmly shook his hand and said, smiling, \u201cI always wanted to meet Jesus!\u201d These words express the source of Fr Dunstan\u2019s inspiration. The desire to meet Jesus, that is the gift he has shared with our community. For his vocation and presence, we are truly grateful.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Westminster Abbey\u2019s Art web page<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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