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

Financier; born East Malvern, Victoria, 24 December 1929; died Rhynie, South Australia, 10 December 1972, aged 42.

Bill Holland was educated mainly by the Sisters of Saint Joseph and the Christian Brothers. His final year was at St Kevin's, Melbourne, in 1946. He took out a bachelor of commerce degree at the University of Melbourne in 1951, and then worked with various firms of stockbrokers and exporters in Australia, England and Canada before entering the Society at Loyola College, Watsonia, 1 February 1958, at the age of 28.

After philosophy at Watsonia, 1960-62, he became hall prefect, and division prefect, and taught religion, English and economics at Xavier College, Kew. He was also associated with the military cadets and directed the mission society. He enjoyed his regency.

He studied theology at Canisius College, Pymble, 1966-68, and at the Jesuit Theological College, Parkville, 1969. He worked hard in helping to move the theologate from Pymble to Parkville; his financial and practical advice was invaluable. He had an eye for detail, inspecting properties and reporting back to the community. He was involved at every stage of the move and in the renovation of the buildings.

He did not find his priestly studies easy, and at times they were frustrating. He had a quick, alert and quite incisive mind, pragmatically rather than speculatively oriented. He did not have much time for supererogatory theoretics. However, he did well in examinations because he prepared for them thoroughly.

After a further year teaching religion at Xavier College in 1970, he completed tertianship at Auriesville, New York, 1970-71, and then studied business administration at Santa Clara University, 1971-72. He returned to Australia, worked with the boys at the orphanage at South Melbourne, and was under-studying the province procurator when he was unexpectedly killed in the car accident with Marc Playoust on the road from Sevenhill to Adelaide.

Holland was a man constantly on the move, mapping out new objectives for himself, checking to see that the plans of action he had devised were in fact being implemented, accommodating his own, at times, rather blunt and competitive, but invariably warm, personality to the climate generated by the people with whom he had to work.

He delighted to have things 'under control', and that involved detailed preparation and keeping a watchful eye on his many projects and interests, to see that they were reacting according to plan. This was true of him whether he was driving a car, arranging an excursion, advising on stocks and shares, preparing a sermon, or playing a characteristically tactical game on the basketball or squash court. Very few things caught him unprepared, because he had a great ability to learn from experience, and a very alert and sensitive eye for possible contingencies.

There were no frills or circumlocutions about Holland. He was simple, straight-forward and honest, completely reliable and trustworthy. These qualities, with his adaptability and infectious sense of humour, most appealed to his companions who had the privilege of benefiting from his pastoral ministrations. He was a popular Jesuit, a good community man with strong opinions on matters in which he was considered an expert, as well as a generous man, and a good religious. His early passing was a sad blow to the province.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)