Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017, post-publication supplement:
Dwyer, William (HAZ)

Missionary; born Melbourne, 13 May 1930; died Ranchi, 12 November 2024, aged 94.

William Dwyer was most noted in India for his competence in, and love for, Hindi literature. He was born on May 13, 1930, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, to Mr. W. Maurice Dwyer and Mrs. Mary Healy. He completed his primary and middle schooling at St. Teresa's Parish School, Essendon, Victoria, and his secondary education at St. Patrick's College, East Melbourne, Victoria.

Fathers Bob Slattery and Tony Herbert (HAZ) provided the following information:

Dwyer entered the Society of Jesus on 2nd February 1948, aged 18, and did his noviciate at Loyola College Watsonia. Two years of juniorate followed in the same place. He sailed to India in 1951 with the second batch of Australians, first studying Hindi at Manresa House, Ranchi. Here he was much influenced by the renowned Hindi scholar Fr Camille Bulcke. He started his degree studies at St Xavier's, Bombay, but completed his BA in Ranchi.

Philosophy studies followed, 1953-56, at De Nobili College, Pune; then Regency for one year at St Xavier's School, Hazaribag. Theology was at St Mary's College, Kurseong, 1960-64. Ordination was in the Ranchi Cathedral on 23rd March 1963 by Archbishop Pius Kerketta, SJ.

He first pastoral appoint was as assistant Parish Priest in Mahuadanr. But this ministry with village touring was not to Dwyer's liking, and he wanted to further his Hindi studies. During tertianship at SSC Sitagarha, under the direction of Fr Moyasen, he was encouraged to go to Allahabad to explore the possibility of advanced studies in Hindi, which he did at the University of Allahabad. He lived in the Jigasu Kendra diocese. Here, Dwyer showed how disciplined, focused and through he was in his Hindi research and in everything he did.

After tertianship, Dwyer did his Hindi M.A in the University of Allahabad. And then from 1970 to 1973, he went to Delhi University to do his major work and contribution to Hindi Literature by doing a doctorate entitled Kabir ki Bhakti Bhavana on Kabir, a medieval Sufi saint, poet, mystic, revered by Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and whose poems were concerned with our common humanity and called for a loving devotion to God. This was a major achievement bringing out his expertise in Hindi and his love for Kabir.

In 1977 he was lecturer in Hindi at the National University of Canberra, Australia, arranged by Fr. John eddy. About this time, he took Indian citizenship as a further commitment to the Church and to India.

In 1978, Dwyer was appointed Principal of St. Xavier's Hazaribagh. This was a very challenging appointment because in 1978, St. Robert's Hindi medium High School was shifted from Catholic Ashram campus to occupy the now vacant hostel building in St. Xavier's. So, there were two different high schools on the same campus, different clientele, different languages of instruction. Everything worked out well due to Dwyer's adaptability, sharing of facilities, combined elocution programmes, even a combined football team.

He was Director for two years of the Bulcke Research Centre in Ranchi at which time he completed the translation of a section of the Hindi Bible. From 1987-1992, Dwyer was at Manresa House, Ranchi, as Director of the Bulcke Shodha (research centre). Here he translated into Hindi both the Spiritual Exercises and the Autobiography of St. Ignatius. It was his Hindi scholarship that strongly identified him. That was his main life, that is where his heart was.

Besides being a scholar, Dwyer was a competent teacher and administrator. He taught at both St Xavier's schools at Bokaro and at Hazaribag, and was principal in the latter, bringing the FCC and CMC Sisters onto the teaching staff. Then, he worked with candidates, 1992-1993, at Vivek Sadan, Daltonganj. For Five years, 1993-1995, he was Diocesan Director of Education, Daltonganj Diocese. The following years, 1995-1999, he was Headmaster of St Louis School, Balidih. In the schools he was known for his strong assertion, especially with difficult decisions. For seven years, 2000-2007 he was teacher and writer at PTEC, Sitagarha. This was followed by two years, 2007-2009, as assistant director of Jesuit Mission, Australia. In 2009, he resided at the Loyola Centre, teaching candidates to the Society and being assistant to the Socius. It was he who renamed the province newsletter Cooee to its present Hal Chal format and was its editor for many years. His final appointment was Archivist Province Curia. 2010-2022, residing at St Xavier's, Hazaribag.

Herbert remembered that in all his activities, he was clear, precise, strong, but also a warm and welcoming person, and a companion always stimulating in his conversation. In Hazaribag, he was a valued spiritual director to many sisters.

In his retirement he was greatly handicapped by loss of hearing. In his senior years, he was ever meticulous in keeping neat and tidy in his dress. He was an avid reader, especially on English Catholicism around the Oxford Movement. He was always mentally alert, not overly religious, but Jesuit spirituality was the backbone of his life. He was remembered as a warm, welcoming companion.

His many long years to the Society and the Church ended peacefully in Constant Lievens Hospital, Ranchi.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)