1933, elected as abbot by the monks of Mount St Bernard on the basis of his excellent reputation, gained as prior of Roscrea. It was during Dom Malachy's time that the abbey attained its present form, with the completion of the abbey church, just over one hundred years after the foundation of the monastery. This and other noteworthy achievements of Dom Malachy is described in his obituary, written by the monks of Nunraw: "His first move, we were informed, was to call in an outsider to improve the chant and discharge of the divine office. After examining the accounts and revenue of the abbey he planned the building of the monastic church. Already Pugin, the famous architect of the nineteenth century had designed a small church of which the nave had been completed. There it stood for nearly a century unfinished. With admirable courage the new superior changed the plans and built practically another church twice the size of what was previously designed. There were critics, of course, of the monastic edifice with a nave in the east and one in the west with the altar in the centre. Since Vatican II however, visitors to the monastery say that Dom Malachy was a century ahead of his time. Next he beautified the grounds, enlarged the guesthouse and brought it up-to-date. Not a year passed during his time as superior that did not witness improvements made in both the buildings and farm. During this period the personnel of the community increased and reached the highest ever. He received subjects, professed them and had a large number of his monks raised to the priesthood. When eventually he laid aside the pastoral staff in 1959 he left to his successor a flourishing abbey". It was during Dom Malachy's abbacy that the community was joined by the first Nigerians to become Trappist monks. Dom Malachy resigned in 1959, having celebrated his silver jubilee as abbot and spent his final years at the Trappist monastery of Sancta Maria Abbey, Nunraw in Scotland, where he was laid to rest in 1965. The new abbot, Father Ambrose Southey, was the first Englishman to govern the abbey for more than half a century. Dom Ambrose was already abbot vicar of the order when, in 1974 he was elected abbot general, the highest office in the order. Dom Ambose stepped down as Abbot-General in 1990 and later became superior