Rev Bill Moloney SJ
Title:
Rev
First Name:
William
Middle Names:
Joseph
Preferred Name:
Bill
Surname:
Moloney
Order:
SJ
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Tipperary
Country of Birth:
Ireland
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Country of Ordination:
Ordination Diocese:
Seminary:
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Melbourne VIC
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Boroondara, Kew VIC
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Biographical Notes
Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Moloney, William
Teacher; born Tipperary, 27 May 1880; died Melbourne, 24 January 1972; aged 91.
Bill Moloney was educated at Mungret College, where he was captain of the school, and he entered the Society at Tullamore, 7 September 1899, after graduating in arts from the Royal University of Ireland. After noviceship at Tullamore, 1899-1901, he studied philosophy at Stonyhurst, 1901-04, theology at Milltown Park, 1911-15, and tertianship at Tullamore, 1915-16.
He was sent to Australia and St Patrick's College in 1916, and remained there all his working life until 1968, teaching mainly physics. He was also minister, 1918-45, procurator, 1946-68, consultor, 1918-45, and spiritual father and admonitor, 1946-68. He retired from teaching in 1964. When St Patrick's College closed in 1968, he went to Campion College until his death. His presence there was valued by the scholastics.
Moloney was doyen of the province at the time of his death, a genial and lovable priest, unassuming, humble, kind and charitable, of regular religious observance. He was a person of powerful frame, an active vigorous outdoor man in his earlier years, a champion handballer and an enthusiastic fisherman. He was a good teacher, not only because of his efficiency, but also because of his patience, kindness, generosity and encouragement. He was particularly good with the weaker students. For some years he was director of the Sodality of Our Lady, and his talks were well remembered for simplicity and straight-forwardness. He had a deep and practical piety, never forced nor strained nor extravagant, but based firmly on truth.
Moloney was also well liked as a retreat giver, being not eloquent, but firm and practical and having a vein of quiet humour. He adapted to the post Vatican Church by concelebrating Mass and wearing a tie. His adaptability was helpful to those who found the changes difficult.
To look for something spectacular in Moloney would be to look in vain. His life was dedicated to the unspectacular, to the routine of daily life. Quietly, with perseverance and patience, he went through the regular pattern of each day and each year. His was a life of fidelity: to his vocation, to the duties of the present moment, and to his fellow Jesuits. In attitude he was young. What he could not understand he did not criticise, even though he sometimes marvelled.
(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)