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Rev Thomas Brown SJ

Title:

Rev

First Name:

Thomas

Middle Names:

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Brown

Order:

SJ

Date of Birth:

09-Oct-1845

Place of Birth:

Newfoundland

Country of Birth:

Canada

Date of Ordination:

1880

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

28-Sep-1915

Place of Death:

Greenwich NSW

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

1915

Place of Burial:

Gore Hill NSW

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/300791772

Appointments Table

Diocese
Place
Role
Start Day
Start Month
Start Year
End Day
End Month
End Year
Source
Melbourne KewRector, Xavier College18901897Linane Vol 1
Melbourne RichmondLinane Vol 1
Melbourne East MelbourneSt Patrick's CollegeLinane Vol 1
Adelaide NorwoodLinane Vol 1
Melbourne HawthornLinane Vol 1
Australia ?Jesuit Superior19081913Linane Vol 1
Sydney GreenwichLinane Vol 1
Items per page:
0 of 0


Biographical Notes

Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 1, 1979, p 35:

Brown, Thomas, SJ, Very Rev., Irish
A Very Impressive Jesuit

b. 9.10.1845; entered SJ's Aug. '66 at Milltown Park, Dublin. After his novitiate he went to the Collegium Venetesi in France, teaching English. In '70 he was teaching maths, and was Prefect of Discipline at Tullabeg, Ir. In '73 he was at Roehampton, near London, studying in rhetoric. In '74 he was studying philosophy at Stonyhurst. In '77 again at Tullabeg, teaching maths. In '78 at Innsbruck for studies in theology. Prob. ord. in '80. In '82 Minister at Clongowes. Tertianship at Hadzor House, Droitwich, Fr, '83. Made Provincial of Irish Province in May '83, staying in office until '88. Arr. in Melb. Nov. '89 and was Rector at Xavier Coll., Kew from '90 to '97. Served later at Richmond; S.P.C. Coll., East Melb.; Norwood, S.A.; Hawthorn. Superior of the Australian Mission '08-13. Experienced bad health after going to Loyola, Greenwich, Syd. d. 28.9.1915; age 70. A query in the SJ Catalogus Defunctorum could lead to the supposition that Brown was born in the USA.
(Footprints, Vol. 1, No. 9)
Ref.: Jesuit Records as supplied by Frs. H. Johnston and G. O'Kelly SJ's.

---

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

Administrator; born Newfoundland, 9 October 1845; died Greenwich, NSW, 28 September 1915, aged 69.

Thomas Brown first studied at Carlow College, and then entered the Society, 1 August 1866, as a novice at Milltown Park under Aloysius Sturzo. Regency followed, 1869-74, at Tullamore College, where he was prefect of discipline and taught writing and arithmetic. Philosophy was studied at Stonyhurst, 1874-76, and theology followed immediately, first at Innsbruck, 1876-9, then at Stonyhurst, 1879-81. He was not considered a good theological student.

From 1881-82 he was minister at Clongowes Wood, and in 1882-3, did tertianship at Hadzor House, Droitwich. During this time he was summoned to Fiesole to see the general and was appointed subsequently the Irish provincial, 1883-88. He was reputed to be sound in administration, and was only 37 years of age.

Later he returned to Clongowes as minister, 1888-89 and was then sent to Australia in 1889 and appointed rector of Xavier College, 1890-97. He was also a mission consultor and prefect of studies, 1890-93.

At Xavier he had the foresight to build the Great Hall, even by today's standards a grand building, and also the quadrangle. He also planted many trees. However, at the time, during the great Depression, money was scarce and many in the province considered Brown extravagant. From then on, superiors were most watchful over him in financial matters. Grand visions among Jesuits in the Australian province were rarely appreciated at the time.

Brown did not seem to have been a particularly gifted teacher, as he did not spend much time in the classroom. From 1897-98 he was posted to St Patrick's College, where he taught and conducted the Sodality of Our Lady. Parish work followed, first at Richmond, 1899-01, then at Norwood, 1901-2, Richmond again, 1902-6, and Hawthorn, 1906-8.

Given his supposed gifts in administration, it must have been hard for him to perform work that did not particularly satisfy him. However, he was appointed superior of the mission, 1908-13, but after a sudden breakdown in health he returned to Loyola College, Greenwich, where he died three years later.

Brown was experienced by some as a man of iron-will and great courage, broad-mindedness and good judgment, a man upon whom one could rely in difficulties, and with all his reserve an extremely kind-hearted man.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

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