Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017, post-publication supplement:
O'Collins, Gerald Glynn, AC, PhD, DD

Theologian, writer, teacher, media speaker, research and visiting fellow, consultant; born St Kilda (Melbourne), 2 June 1931; died Melbourne, 22 August 2024, aged 93.

Gerald O'Collins was an internationally known and acclaimed Australian Jesuit theologian. Apart from living and working in Australia, he lived and worked in Germany, Italy, the UK, and the USA, as well as lecturing in New Zealand and numerous African, Asian, and South American countries—notably India and Singapore. He authored or co-authored hundreds of articles for professional and popular journals, along with 84 books, over fifty of which have appeared in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, or other foreign languages. Along with six honorary doctorates and other awards (the Malipiero Prize for Jesus Risen, the Stefano Borgia European Prize, and the Johannes Quasten Medal, Catholic University of America, Washington DC), he was created in 2006 a Companion of the General Division of the Order of Australia (AC) through the Australian government. He worked with BBC radio and world television in Rome. Around the world, many bishops, and cardinals (for instance, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Blase Cupich, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher) were his former students. His theological expertise included Vatican II studies, fundamental theology, and Christology, specialising in resurrection issues and the Christological orientation of all human beings.

O'Collins was very proud of his maternal grandfather, Patrick McMahon Glynn, a leading delegate at the Federal Convention of 1897-98 which prepared the Australian constitution. Glynn was responsible, for example, for the opening words of the preamble: 'humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God'. Glynn went on to become a minister in three Australian Commonwealth governments, and his nineteen years as a member made him the last of the 'Founding Fathers' to remain in the national parliament. In late 1965, Melbourne University Press, in association with the Cambridge University Press, published O'Collins's first book, Patrick McMahon Glynn: A Founder of Australian Federation. This work prepared him for later writing, especially when it involved biblical and theological history.

From O'Collins's earliest years, his mother Joan encouraged him to absorb Latin and Greek, live in conversation with Shakespeare, engage in public speaking, learn to ride a horse well, milk cows, and acquire other basic skills of farmers.

Serious grappling with Latin and Greek during his five years of secondary education as a boarder at Xavier College, Melbourne (1944-48), was assisted by his Latin and Greek teacher, the slim, grey-haired non-conformist Father Bill Owens. He controlled his students by the power of his personality and the degree of his expectations. He never told his students that he had been at school in Ireland at Belvedere College with James Joyce. O'Collins received first-class honours in both Latin and Greek in the state examinations, sharing the state Greek exhibition in 1947, and winning a Newman College scholarship in 1948.

These high school studies led O'Collins to choose classics at the University of Melbourne, 1949 and 1955-58. In 1957, he graduated BA (first class) and received the Leeper gold medal in classics. He completed a Master of Arts in 1958 for a two-volume, doctoral-length thesis (awarded a first class by the examiners, Max Charlesworth and David Armstrong, and concerned with aspects of Aristotle's theory of hylomorphism). O'Collins was also influenced by Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and Plato, not to mention Ludwig Wittgenstein who in those days inspired philosophical thought at the University of Melbourne.

As an athletic student in 1949, a memorable occasion came when he ran second to John Landy in the Freshers' Mile at the University of Melbourne. Within a few years Landy battled it out with Roger Bannister for the honour of being the first runner to break the four minutes for the mile.

O'Collins entered the Society of Jesus at Loyola College, Watsonia, 1 February 1950, with another 22 novices. After the noviciate, philosophy, classical studies at the University of Melbourne, and theology, he was ordained 2 January 1963 in Ballarat, Victoria, by his uncle James O'Collins, the bishop of Ballarat. For his final examination in theology at Canisius College, Pymble, he received the highest award, 'summa cum laude'. He remembered fondly professors Peter Kenny, SJ, William Dalton, SJ, and John Scullion, SJ. Kenny introduced him to the thought of Karl Rahner and the theological relevance of the visual arts. The other two provided first-rate scriptural courses. They also inspired him to share in a biblical study group that comprised Anglicans, Catholics, Protestants, and at least one Jewish rabbi.

For the years 1965-67, O'Collins used a travelling scholarship from the University of Melbourne to undertake doctoral studies at Pembroke College (University of Cambridge), and then became a research fellow of Pembroke (1967–69). He was the first Catholic priest since the sixteenth-century reformation to be a fellow of that college.

He was awarded a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (first class) from Heythrop College in 1967, and a PhD (Cantab) in 1968 for a thesis entitled 'The Theology of Revelation in Some Recent Discussion', written under the supervision of Professor D.E. Nineham.

Funds from the Cambridge University divinity school supported three summers at the University of Tübingen (1966-68), where he attended lectures by Ernst Käsemann and Gerhard Ebeling. He also came to know Hans Küng and Joseph Ratzinger and established a lifelong friendship with Jürgen Moltmann. For the 1973 Eucharistic Congress held in Melbourne, he invited Moltmann who stayed at the Jesuit Theological College and, with Mother Teresa of Calcutta, spoke on 'peace' in the Melbourne Town Hall. The immense audience knew they were listening to 'the world's best Protestant theologian dialogue with a Catholic saint'.

From 1968-72, O'Collins was visiting professor at the Weston School of Theology (Boston Theological Institute), as well as teaching for the Jesuit Theological College, Melbourne. For a month in early 1973 he taught a course (on the theology of secularity) as a visiting professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. After spending 1973-74 as honoured visitor back at Pembroke College, Cambridge University, he began full time at the Gregorian.

Later he would have many enriching visits not only to Pembroke College (as visiting scholar for the final term of 1991) but even more to the USA, lecturing for summer schools at Boston College, the University of San Francisco (USF), and the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, as well as spending three semesters as visiting professor at Marquette University, Milwaukee (1994, 1998, and 2006). After innumerable contacts with the American theological scene, he could join his friend Dan Kendall, SJ, in writing Jesuits, Theology, and the American Catholic Church (Paulist Press, 2020). In 2022 Pembroke College made him an honorary fellow.

In all, he taught for 33 years at the Gregorian University (1973–2006), where he was also dean of the theology faculty, 1985-91. Offering courses, running seminars, and directing licentiate and doctoral dissertations clarified and developed previous interests in such themes as Christ's resurrection from the dead, God's self-revelation, and the human experience in faith of divine initiatives. His students came from over one hundred countries, with only thirty percent being Italians. His classes in fundamental theology and Christology could contain 200 students.

He also supervised the research of many licentiate and doctoral students (92 successful doctoral dissertations), including Anthony Spadaro, an Italian polymath and richly cultured person who became editor-in-chief of Civiltà Cattolica and a close collaborator of Pope Francis. Spadaro did as much as anyone towards promoting the meaning and message of the Pope from Argentina. O'Collins published articles in Civiltà Cattolica, such as 'The Reform of the Roman Curia and Collaborators of the Apostles' (April 2018), and 'Lay people as Teachers in the Church' (February 2022).

His lifelong concern with the resurrection began in 1967 when still at Pembroke College and engaged in doctoral research at Cambridge University. After an initial lecture on the transhistorical nature of Jesus' resurrection, he kept thinking, teaching, and writing about the resurrection for over fifty years. O'Collins believed that he offered additional insights concerned, for instance, with the role of Peter the apostle as Easter witness, the nature of the post-resurrection encounters with Jesus, and the justification of faith in Jesus as gloriously risen from the dead.

Early years at the Gregorian centred on teaching and publishing in fundamental theology (revelation, tradition, and the inspiration and interpretation of the Bible): for instance, in his best-selling Fundamental Theology (Paulist Press, 1981). Much of this work involved close collaboration with René Latourelle and, later, with Rino Fisichella and Jared Wicks. Further collaborative experiences came with his Jesuit friend, Daniel Kendall, the first student to write and defend a doctoral dissertation with O'Collins. Kendall repeatedly hosted him as a visiting professor for the USF summer programme; he joined O'Collins in writing articles that appeared in many scholarly journals and in preparing (with Jeffrey LaBelle, SJ) Pope John Paul II: A Reader (Paulist Press, 2007). Kendall also proposed him for the honorary doctorate received at USF in 1991.

O'Collins later received honorary doctorates from the University of Surrey (UK) in 2003; Sacred Heart University, Fairfield (CT) in 2004; John Carroll University, Cleveland (Ohio) in 2007; the Melbourne College of Divinity in 2007; and the Australian Catholic University in 2010. With him at John Carroll University in 2007, John O'Malley, SJ, and Jared Wicks, SJ, also received honorary doctorates—to express warm thanks for what this threesome had already done and were continuing to do towards interpreting and applying the teaching of the Second Vatican Council.

He was further honoured by a 2006 Australian award for his services to the Catholic Church internationally, to scholarship as a renowned theologian, and to inter-church relations. With Nicole Kidman, he was made a Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AC).

Responding with Edward G. Farrugia, SJ, of the Oriental Institute (Rome) to the needs of both students and teachers, O'Collins prepared A Concise Dictionary of Theology (Paulist Press, 1990). It would enjoy two revised editions (2000 and 2013) and sold well over 30,000 copies as well as appearing in Bulgarian, Indonesian, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian translations.

While living in Rome, O'Collins began radio broadcasts for Vatican Radio (more than a hundred over the years) and BBC Radio, and appeared on American (CBS, CNN, and NBC), Australian, British, Chinese, French, Irish, and Italian TV networks. He contributed to a BBC radio programme on Christian origins (2006). He was at his best for TV. In 2006 he appeared in a hilarious rebuttal of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code created by Richard Hammond of the 'Top Gear' series. He featured in a CNN special on Mary Magdalene and Jesus' Mother (Christmas 2009). For a 'Getaway' programme on Rome broadcast in 1997, Channel 9 (Australia) made O'Collins the local personality who showed the Australian visitor David Reyne (a popular actor) the treasures of the eternal city.

Many of his appearances came via BBC world TV. In Rome he was repeatedly interviewed by Orla Guerin, Brian Hanrahan, John Simpson and other BBC journalists. This work came to a highpoint in 2005 when John Paul II fell ill, died, was buried, and when the conclave that elected Benedict XVI took place. Over those weeks, O'Collins appeared more than thirty times on BBC World and well as sharing with Edward Stourton's commentary on Radio Four. His hosts were delighted that before the papal election O'Collins had predicted not only that 'Benedict' would be the name of the next pope but also that this pope would be a former student and/or teacher at the Gregorian. In the event, Professor Joseph Ratzinger had been a visiting professor at the Gregorian alongside O'Collins in 1973. When elected pope, he took the name of Benedict XVI.

After moving to a Jesuit community in Wimbledon (UK) and becoming in 2006 for three years a research professor at St Mary's College (now St Mary's University) Twickenham, O'Collins continued to do some TV for the BBC, presenting St Patrick in 2008, and Pope Benedict's visit to the USA also in 2008. With Michael Hayes of St Mary's College, he organized and contributed to an international, ecumenical symposium, which naturally resulted in a book, The Legacy of John Paul II (Burns & Oates, 2008).

Shortly before leaving Rome, O'Collins had organised and co-chaired three 'summits' (at Easter 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2003) held in New York—international, ecumenical symposia published subsequently by Oxford University Press as The Resurrection (1997), The Trinity (1999), The Incarnation (2002), and The Redemption (2004). At Easter 1996 Newsweek made the resurrection summit its cover story, and that issue became the equal best-selling issue in the journal's history. Caroline Walker Bynum, Sarah Coakley, Brian Daley, SJ, David Tracy, Bishop N.T. Wright, and other luminaries presented papers at those 'summits'.

The summits coincided with the case brought by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) against a book (Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism (Orbis, 1997)) published by Jacques Dupuis, SJ, then a colleague at the Gregorian University after many years of teaching theology in India that saw Dupuis rise to serve as an expert for the Asian Bishops Conference. Initially the CDF charged Dupuis with undermining basic doctrines of faith in Christ. Thanks to representations from Father Peter Hans Kolvenbach (superior general of the Jesuits), Cardinal Franz König (retired Archbishop of Vienna), John Wilkins (the editor of The Tablet), and others, the CDF drastically watered down its charges against Dupuis when it officially concluded its proceedings in January 2001. The book by Dupuis was alleged to contain 'ambiguous statements' and 'insufficient explanations' (with no examples given) that 'could' lead readers to 'erroneous or harmful opinions'. This said, however, very little--even less than 2 Peter 3:16, which understands letters of Paul and other scriptures to have actually worked for the destruction of some people.

As the one consultor allowed by the CDF, O'Collins vetted the charges brought against Dupuis's book and the drafts of his answers. He accompanied Dupuis and spoke for him on the one occasion (4 September 2000) when Dupuis met Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and his officials. With Dan Kendall, O'Collins prepared a Festschrift for the 80thbirthday of Dupuis: In Many and Diverse Ways (Orbis Books, 2005), for which several cardinals and bishops contributed chapters. In that book, as well as in the second volume of his memoirs, On the Left Bank of the Tiber (Connor Court Publishing, 2013), O'Collins wrote a detailed account of the whole Dupuis affair). See also 'Rehabilitating Jacques Dupuis', Doctrine and Life 75/1 (January, 2023). After the death of Dupuis (28 December 2004) O'Collins published articles in Theological Studies and other journals clarifying and defending the views of Dupuis on the religious state of those who belonged to faiths other than Christianity.

In March 2007, when O'Collins was awarded a Doctor of Divinity by the Melbourne College of Divinity, the citation summed up the reasons for that award. He was praised for his academic achievements, the great number of books authored or co-authored, his hundreds of articles in both popular and professional journals, and in dictionaries and encyclopaedias. He had been a speaker at numerous international conferences and a guest lecturer at universities in Chile, Colombia, England, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Scotland.

Mention was also made of his teaching at MCD colleges (1969–73) which subsequently became recognised teaching institutions of the MCD. He also participated in discussions that led to the establishment of the Bachelor of Theology degree, and to the concomitant restructuring of the MCD. Gratitude was expressed for his personal encouragement offered to the MCD faculty and students during his time at Catholic Theological College and Jesuit Theological College, his contribution to conferences and ecumenical research, his being a model of an ecumenical theologian and mentor for younger scholars, and his proactive engagement with theological education on many levels.

When O'Collins returned to Australia in September 2009, he served as writer in residence at Jesuit Theological College, Parkville, research fellow of the MCD (later University of Divinity), and adjunct professor of the Australian Catholic University. He pursued earlier interests in the legacy of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), the status and value of faiths other than Christianity, biblical research, and issues raised by translations of the liturgy and the Bible. Many books and articles resulted: notably, Lost in Translation (Liturgical Press, 2017); a heavily revised edition of Catholicism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2017); A Christology of Religions (Orbis, 2018); and several books of letters to relatives concluding with Letters to Maev (Connor Court Publishing, 2023).

Publishers were ever ready to publish works by O'Collins. From Darton, Longman and Todd, SCM Press, and the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK), O'Collins moved more to Oxford University Press (17 books) and Paulist Press (35 books). Those publishing houses who translated O'Collins's works into foreign languages regularly included the Italian press, Queriniana of Brescia.

A complete bibliography of O'Collins's publications up to early 2000 is included in D. Kendall and S.T. Davis (eds), The Convergence of Theology. A Festschrift Honoring Gerald O'Collins, SJ (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2001). His works and a complete bibliography down to his death are available from the archives of the Jesuit Provincial Office, Hawthorn, Victoria. Complete holdings of his publications are located in the Jesuit Theological College (Parkville), the Dalton McCaughey Library (Parkville), and the study centre of Newman/St Mary's Colleges (University of Melbourne).

After his return to Melbourne in 2009, O'Collins continued a ministry already vigorously exercised for three years in the UK: biblical and theological workshops for clergy and lay people. In particular, he helped teachers in the Lismore and Sandhurst dioceses to develop an Ignatian spirituality. Home in Parkville (Victoria) he twice taught a course for the Centre of Ignatian Spirituality (CIS) and drew from it for The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola (Paulist Press, 2023). Earlier he had jointed Dan Kendall in publishing study of the Exercises by Anthony de Mello, Seek God Everywhere (Doubleday, 2010)

Thanks to his lifelong friend, Sir James Gobbo, O'Collins became a magistral chaplain to the Order of Malta, leading its members on retreat and providing the anointing of the sick and the Eucharist when members of the order visited age care centres. After a thyroid gland ran amok in late 2021, O'Collins had to stop such activities and remain content with a writing apostolate.

He discovered a wonderful correspondence that went on for nearly thirty years between Seamus Heaney (an Irish Nobel laureate in literature) and a fellow poet, Peter Steele, SJ, who taught at the University of Melbourne and lived at Newman College. Born in the same year (1939), they died only a year apart: Steele in 2012 and Heaney 2013. The correspondence could form the basis of a documentary, a play, or even a film.

After his death, tributes were received about this remarkable scholar. In his homily at the funeral Mass for O'Collins, quoting Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Fr Brendan Byrne said: 'He had the training of a systematic theologian but the instincts of a New Testament scholar; with the journalist's ability to write accessibly and attractively, that was an unusual and potent combination.'

Michael Walsh, in The Tablet, (14 September 2014) in an article entitled, 'On the side of the Tiber', praised O'Collins for his numerous articles over many years, especially at Easter and Christmas, knowing that 'no other Catholic writer could offer the same fluency and expertise as systematic theologian, biblical scholar, pastor, journalist and story-teller'. Mention was also made of his wide-ranging ecumenical collaborations. In the following edition of The Tablet (21 September 2014), two Anglican clergymen emphasised this, praising his ecumenical contacts, especially during his time in Rome, sharing views on liturgy, spirituality and biblical scholarship. His generosity and 'infectious friendship' were appreciated.

Fr Christopher Horvat, in his account of O'Collins life sent to Rome said: 'Despite his lofty achievements, Fr O'Collins remained open, down to earth, genial, warm and hospitable, with strong pastoral instincts. He was a great encourager, who never lost the common touch. He cherished his family, friendships and brother Jesuits to a rare degree and on occasion penned beautiful obituaries for them. In his last months he became increasingly frail, though his mind remained sharp. Deeply prayerful, he was captivated by the unique beauty of Christ, which he expected would sweep him away when he met Jesus in the next life.' Gradually, O'Collins was stripped of so many things that gave him comfort, joy and consolation: cinema, meals with friends, theological discourse.

A personal tribute by Jesuit scholastic, Julian Butler, remarked: 'Gerry wanted to see people at their best and his company allowed others to be so. He put us at ease and deftly averted any unpleasantness in conversation. He showed me a way of living with fidelity to God, generosity to others, and a sense of seeking ever what is good, true and beautiful.'

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)