John Purcell | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev John Purcell SJ Title: Rev First Name: John Middle Names: Preferred Name: Surname: Purcell Order: SJ Date of Birth: 30-Sep-1913 Place of Birth: Limerick Country of Birth: Ireland Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 21-Apr-1976 Place of Death: Dublin Country of Death: Ireland Date of Burial: Place of Burial: Country of Burial: Find A Grave URL: FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Purcell, John Pastor; born Limerick, Ireland, 30 September 1913; died Dublin, Ireland, 21 April 1976, aged 62. John Purcell entered the Society at Emo, Ireland, 30 September 1933, did his juniorate at Rathfarnham, 1935-38, studied philosophy at Tullamore, until 1941, and then gained a bachelor of arts and a diploma of education from the National University, Dublin. Regency was done at Belvedere College, Dublin, 1941-42, and theology at Milltown Park, 1943-47. Tertianship followed immediately. Purcell taught at Limerick and at Mungret College, 1948-62, and then went to Australia, and the parishes of Hawthorn and Richmond, 1963-64. From 1965-68 he taught religion and Latin at St Louis School, Claremont, WA, but this was not a successful appointment. Purcell found it hard to adapt to the culture of Australian schoolboys. His final appointment in Australia was at St Francis' Xavier parish, Lavender Bay, Sydney. During this time he became ill with cancer and returned to Dublin. He was very Irish, a simple priest, pious and unworldly. He was happiest and more successful in parish work, where he showed pastoral zeal. He enjoyed preaching, but his sermons were long and poetic, and did not relate well to an Australian congregation. There was sadness that when he decided to return to Ireland he was already unwell. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

John

Middle Names:

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Purcell

Order:

Date of Birth:

30-Sep-1913

Place of Birth:

Limerick

Country of Birth:

Ireland

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

21-Apr-1976

Place of Death:

Dublin

Country of Death:

Ireland

Date of Burial:

Place of Burial:

Country of Burial:

Find A Grave URL:

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Purcell, John

Pastor; born Limerick, Ireland, 30 September 1913; died Dublin, Ireland, 21 April 1976, aged 62.

John Purcell entered the Society at Emo, Ireland, 30 September 1933, did his juniorate at Rathfarnham, 1935-38, studied philosophy at Tullamore, until 1941, and then gained a bachelor of arts and a diploma of education from the National University, Dublin. Regency was done at Belvedere College, Dublin, 1941-42, and theology at Milltown Park, 1943-47. Tertianship followed immediately.

Purcell taught at Limerick and at Mungret College, 1948-62, and then went to Australia, and the parishes of Hawthorn and Richmond, 1963-64. From 1965-68 he taught religion and Latin at St Louis School, Claremont, WA, but this was not a successful appointment. Purcell found it hard to adapt to the culture of Australian schoolboys. His final appointment in Australia was at St Francis' Xavier parish, Lavender Bay, Sydney. During this time he became ill with cancer and returned to Dublin.

He was very Irish, a simple priest, pious and unworldly. He was happiest and more successful in parish work, where he showed pastoral zeal. He enjoyed preaching, but his sermons were long and poetic, and did not relate well to an Australian congregation. There was sadness that when he decided to return to Ireland he was already unwell.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev John Purcell SJ

Biographical Notes