Background
De Mendieta was born in Bouvignes-sur-Meuse in 1907 and entered the novitiate at Maredsous in 1925—shortly before the Malines Conversations between Roman Catholics and Anglicans—and was given the name of Dom David.
De Mendieta was born in Bouvignes-sur-Meuse in 1907 and entered the novitiate at Maredsous in 1925—shortly before the Malines Conversations between Roman Catholics and Anglicans—and was given the name of Dom David.
He was professed in 1930. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1932. He became a noted patristics scholar and an international authority on Saint He left Belgium and moved to Great Britain, where he was received into the Church.
Of studious disposition his career at the cathedral reflected his monastic experience in his general lack of knowledge of some standard procedures of modern life.
Publishing in several European languages, he continued to live a relatively secluded existence after his move to England.
After several years of teaching at various smaller colleges, he was named a canon, that is a canon residentiary, of Winchester Cathedral and thus a member of the Cathedral Chapter.