Arthur Stone | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev Arthur Stone SJ Title: Rev First Name: Arthur Middle Names: Preferred Name: Surname: Stone Order: SJ Date of Birth: 19-Jul-1900 Place of Birth: Cape Town Country of Birth: South Africa Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 19-Aug-1972 Place of Death: Sydney NSW Country of Death: Australia Date of Burial: Aug - 1972 Place of Burial: Gore Hill NSW Country of Burial: Australia Find A Grave URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/300740306 FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Stone, Arthur Pastor; born Capetown, South Africa, 19 July 1900; died Sydney, 19 August 1972, aged 72. Arthur Stone had English, Anglican parents, who came to Australia from South Africa. He became a convert when at the parish school at North Sydney at the age of ten. Then he went to the Marist Brothers' High School, Darlinghurst, and was head prefect in 1918. He went on to study engineering at the University of Sydney. He later worked as a civil engineer in the NSW Department of Main Roads. He played rugby league with the North Sydney firsts, and joined the Jesuits, 18 March 1923, at Greenwich. Most of his studies as a Jesuit were in Ireland; at Rathfarnham, as a junior, 1925-26, and theology at Milltown Park, 1929-33. He studied philosophy at Heythrop, England, 1926-29, and did tertianship at St Beuno's, 1933-34. He returned to Australia and taught at Riverview, 1934-39. But his heart was in pastoral work, working between North Sydney and Lavender Bay, and he was eventually parish priest, of North Sydney, 1947-53, and Lavender Bay, 1953-59. He walked the streets visiting his people, and related well to them. This was shown in the 1950s when he asked the cardinal for permission to attend a concert given by Johnny Ray, the first of the pop stars. The request was so surprising that it was given. The story was well told in the parish magazine. This made up for his lack of conversation in the Jesuit community. He also worked in the parish of Richmond, 1959-68, and then retired to Canisius College, Pymble, being almost paralysed. He could not say Mass, but heard confessions at St Patrick's Church, Church Hill, in Sydney. At Pymble he enjoyed watching Australian Rules football on television every Saturday during the season. He never lost the ardent zeal of a convert and was ecumenical when this was almost heretical. He received many converts into the Church, and mixed easily with ministers of other Churches. However, he had a natural shyness and even diffidence, which made it hard for his fellow Jesuits to get to know him well. He found community life difficult. Nonetheless, he respected the independence of his assistants, without interfering with their work. He ran his parishes well; he was orderly and pastoral. Though a man of great strength of character and will, he was above all a man of peace and gentleness. He was a lover and faithful observer of poverty, and meek to a remarkable degree. He was always a peacemaker. His mercy reached out to all those afflicted either in soul or body, as did also his sympathy in their sorrow.

Title:

Rev

First Name:

Arthur

Middle Names:

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Stone

Order:

Date of Birth:

19-Jul-1900

Place of Birth:

Cape Town

Country of Birth:

South Africa

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

19-Aug-1972

Place of Death:

Sydney NSW

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

Aug - 1972

Place of Burial:

Gore Hill NSW

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/300740306

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

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

Pastor; born Capetown, South Africa, 19 July 1900; died Sydney, 19 August 1972, aged 72.

Arthur Stone had English, Anglican parents, who came to Australia from South Africa. He became a convert when at the parish school at North Sydney at the age of ten. Then he went to the Marist Brothers' High School, Darlinghurst, and was head prefect in 1918. He went on to study engineering at the University of Sydney. He later worked as a civil engineer in the NSW Department of Main Roads. He played rugby league with the North Sydney firsts, and joined the Jesuits, 18 March 1923, at Greenwich.

Most of his studies as a Jesuit were in Ireland; at Rathfarnham, as a junior, 1925-26, and theology at Milltown Park, 1929-33. He studied philosophy at Heythrop, England, 1926-29, and did tertianship at St Beuno's, 1933-34.

He returned to Australia and taught at Riverview, 1934-39. But his heart was in pastoral work, working between North Sydney and Lavender Bay, and he was eventually parish priest, of North Sydney, 1947-53, and Lavender Bay, 1953-59. He walked the streets visiting his people, and related well to them. This was shown in the 1950s when he asked the cardinal for permission to attend a concert given by Johnny Ray, the first of the pop stars. The request was so surprising that it was given. The story was well told in the parish magazine. This made up for his lack of conversation in the Jesuit community.

He also worked in the parish of Richmond, 1959-68, and then retired to Canisius College, Pymble, being almost paralysed. He could not say Mass, but heard confessions at St Patrick's Church, Church Hill, in Sydney. At Pymble he enjoyed watching Australian Rules football on television every Saturday during the season.

He never lost the ardent zeal of a convert and was ecumenical when this was almost heretical. He received many converts into the Church, and mixed easily with ministers of other Churches. However, he had a natural shyness and even diffidence, which made it hard for his fellow Jesuits to get to know him well. He found community life difficult. Nonetheless, he respected the independence of his assistants, without interfering with their work.

He ran his parishes well; he was orderly and pastoral. Though a man of great strength of character and will, he was above all a man of peace and gentleness. He was a lover and faithful observer of poverty, and meek to a remarkable degree. He was always a peacemaker. His mercy reached out to all those afflicted either in soul or body, as did also his sympathy in their sorrow.

Rev Arthur Stone SJ

Biographical Notes