Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Burke, Arthur Francis

Pastor; born Armidale, NSW, 14 May 1905; died Clare, South Australia, 13 August 1988, aged 83.

Frank Burke, lanky, tall, and with protruding teeth, was educated by the State, the Christian Brothers at St Mary's, Toowoomba, and the University of Queensland before he entered the Society, 18 February 1922, at Loyola College, Greenwich. In 1924 he travelled to Dublin where he studied Latin, English, mathematics, and physics at the University College, Dublin, graduating with a BA degree in 1927. He went to Louvain for philosophy, 1927-30, and theology was at Milltown Park, 1934-38.

Regency was at St Ignatius' College, Riverview, 1930-34, teaching history and science. He once fell foul of the rector, William Lockington, when he took photos of part of the chapel roof falling down one morning during Mass - the original construction being the result of an impetuous decision of the rector. It was a miracle that no one suffered serious injury. Tertianship was at St Beuno's College, Wales, 1938-39.

Burke returned to Sydney and teaching at St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, 1939-41, and became a military chaplain with the 2nd AIF from 1942-45, serving in the Middle East and Borneo, retiring from the war a major. He was well remembered by those who served with him for his kindness in writing home for hospital patients; he was one of the few people who could get mail out at that stage. He also attended reunions of his regiment. Attending the dawn service each Anzac Day was a feature of his life.

After the war years he returned to teach again at St Aloysius' College and was then transferred to Sevenhill in 1947, where he stayed until 1949. The years 1950-53 were spent in parish work in the Brisbane parish of Toowong. He returned to Sevenhill where his contact with the people and as chaplain to the Clare hospital gained him a reputation with not only his own parishioners but with people from other denominations as a man of compassion. He was a people's priest, especially for children, the sick and the elderly.

He spent most of his priestly life working among the people of Clare and Sevenhill. He loved the people and they, in turn, loved him. Portraits of him hang in the dining room at Sevenhill and in the reception area of the Clare District Hospital. He worked in the Clare district until 1971, and again from 1974-88, a total of 33 years. He was much in demand for weddings and christenings, and indexed the registers of marriages and baptisms of the parish.

He had a park and an old person's home named after him, and was named the Australian citizen of the year for Clare in 1986. For the 100th anniversary of the opening of the old sandstone-and-slate church of St Aloysius' College, Sevenhill, he wrote a booklet on the conception and building of the church and college. Confidently fearless of electricity, he made repairs and renovations to fittings and circuitry around the house. Modern electricians have been amazed, others more laconically amused by the things that he did and got away with, respecting both his knowledge and his luck. He even looked after the seismograph that was installed at the college. None of this work interfered with his daily-visiting parishioners.

There are many legends of his driving ability. His pursuit of rabbits and other vermin past the edges of the road caused fright to more than passengers. There is no doubt that eventually collusion between constabulary and clergy encouraged him to surrender his licence and rely, as he always could, on the movements of friends to get him from place to place. The final crunch came when he overestimated the width of the Main North Rd in South Clare and hit a tree that bears witness to his error of judgment to this day. It is known as 'Fr Frank's tree'.

For a short time he was parish priest of St Joseph Pignatelli parish, Attadale, Western Australia, 1972-73.

Burke was a man of charm and wit, humble and self-effacing. He loved a laugh and was amused to see the mickey taken out of pompousness and self-righteousness. Of quick and decisive movements, he was long striding and active. In repose, he encouraged expansiveness and conversation, though he could soften the effect of bores by throwing them off stride. He was the sort of person who is a natural repository of confidences, and his practical wisdom and commonsense reflected an incarnational spirituality that was mature and easily confident, strengthening many people.

He was legendary in the parish as a friend to everybody - especially the needy or the spiritually troubled. Casually uncaring of the niceties of denomination, canonicity or plaudits of the righteous, Burke unhesitatingly spoke of and brought Christ's human interest to all those he met, whether they thought they needed him or not. He celebrated the Sacraments, and was sought out by those who inchoately recognised their necessity. When more nice souls self-righteously, or legalistically, questioned the probity of the participants, he could be a bit of the canonical rogue and bandit, and many ambient Catholics proudly remember him as one who encouraged them in the Church, having taught them Jesus' ways, and who prevented their tangential exclusion.

He was also remembered in later years for his legendary forgetfulness. Tales of his being corrected by members of the congregation at Mass, of being late for funerals, of using wrong names at baptisms and weddings, have, no doubt, replicated, but they are related with dear delight: the tellers knew that Burke both knew them and had become confused.

He enjoyed being a pastoral priest and a Jesuit, was faithful to the breviary, and had a strong devotion to Our Lady. He could preach long sermons and his liturgies were not the most celebratory, but they were prayerful and devotional. His own devotion to the spiritual life was simply communicated to others. He always enjoyed the company of other Jesuits. He was a much loved and much appreciated man.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)