John Corcoran | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev John Corcoran SJ Title: Rev First Name: John Middle Names: Preferred Name: Surname: Corcoran Order: SJ Date of Birth: 24-Apr-1874 Place of Birth: Country of Birth: Australia Date of Ordination: 1904 Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: England Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 14-May-1940 Place of Death: Melbourne VIC Country of Death: Australia Date of Burial: 1940 Place of Burial: Boroondara, Kew VIC Country of Burial: Australia Find A Grave URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/208182227 FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Corcoran, John Pastor, spiritual director, novice master; born Australia, 24 April 1874; died Melbourne, 14 May 1940, aged 66. John Corcoran's Irish parents left Australia and returned to Ireland, while John later joined the Society of Jesus, 7 October 1891, at Tullamore. His Jesuit studies were in Dublin, and Jersey. He taught mathematics at Mungret College and Belvedere College, then became ill with tuberculosis and went to Petworth, England, to study theology. He was ordained there in 1904, and was sent to Australia, arriving in 1905. He spent two years in the parish of Norwood before being sent to St Ignatius' College, Riverview, 1906-13. He went to Tullamore, Dublin, for tertianship in 1913-14, returned to Australia and spent 1915-19 again at Riverview. He was appointed novice master in 1919 and remained in that office until his death while resting at Xavier College, Kew. He was highly regarded by Jesuits he had trained. People at once felt at home with him. He was experienced as a striking personality, a kind man with a sense of fun, and who spoke very little about himself. When at Riverview he was minister and so had charge of the well being of the boarders. He was considered very adept in catching any boy returning late after leave in the city or in the posting or receipt of letters other than in the orthodox way. He was known as 'the hawk'. But this name was given with the utmost respect for him, as the boys experienced him as a most charming man, who went about his duties very quietly and thoroughly. They liked his sermons. His novices appreciated his thirty-day retreat. He addressed them four times a day, sometimes speaking for an hour without the novices losing interest. He spoke with considerable eloquence and feeling, slowly, pausing between sentences, and from time to time emphasising something dramatically. While he was novice-master he hardly ever left the house. He lived for the novices. His life was quietly and regularly ascetic. He went to bed around midnight and rose at 5.25 am. He loved the garden, especially his dahlias. His companionableness was memorable. The novices enjoyed his company on their walks. He was unobtrusive, yet part of it, a most welcome presence. He was an unforgettable person, a wise and gentle director of souls. He taught a personal love of Jesus, and was deeply loyal to the Society. He considered the rules of modesty to be among the great treasures of the Society, and gave the novices true freedom of heart to make wise decisions. He was a cheerful man, optimistic in outlook and easy to approach. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

John

Middle Names:

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Corcoran

Order:

Date of Birth:

24-Apr-1874

Place of Birth:

Country of Birth:

Australia

Date of Ordination:

1904

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

England

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

14-May-1940

Place of Death:

Melbourne VIC

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

1940

Place of Burial:

Boroondara, Kew VIC

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/208182227

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

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

Pastor, spiritual director, novice master; born Australia, 24 April 1874; died Melbourne, 14 May 1940, aged 66.

John Corcoran's Irish parents left Australia and returned to Ireland, while John later joined the Society of Jesus, 7 October 1891, at Tullamore. His Jesuit studies were in Dublin, and Jersey. He taught mathematics at Mungret College and Belvedere College, then became ill with tuberculosis and went to Petworth, England, to study theology. He was ordained there in 1904, and was sent to Australia, arriving in 1905.

He spent two years in the parish of Norwood before being sent to St Ignatius' College, Riverview, 1906-13. He went to Tullamore, Dublin, for tertianship in 1913-14, returned to Australia and spent 1915-19 again at Riverview. He was appointed novice master in 1919 and remained in that office until his death while resting at Xavier College, Kew. He was highly regarded by Jesuits he had trained.

People at once felt at home with him. He was experienced as a striking personality, a kind man with a sense of fun, and who spoke very little about himself.

When at Riverview he was minister and so had charge of the well being of the boarders. He was considered very adept in catching any boy returning late after leave in the city or in the posting or receipt of letters other than in the orthodox way. He was known as 'the hawk'. But this name was given with the utmost respect for him, as the boys experienced him as a most charming man, who went about his duties very quietly and thoroughly. They liked his sermons.

His novices appreciated his thirty-day retreat. He addressed them four times a day, sometimes speaking for an hour without the novices losing interest. He spoke with considerable eloquence and feeling, slowly, pausing between sentences, and from time to time emphasising something dramatically.

While he was novice-master he hardly ever left the house. He lived for the novices. His life was quietly and regularly ascetic. He went to bed around midnight and rose at 5.25 am. He loved the garden, especially his dahlias.

His companionableness was memorable. The novices enjoyed his company on their walks. He was unobtrusive, yet part of it, a most welcome presence. He was an unforgettable person, a wise and gentle director of souls. He taught a personal love of Jesus, and was deeply loyal to the Society. He considered the rules of modesty to be among the great treasures of the Society, and gave the novices true freedom of heart to make wise decisions. He was a cheerful man, optimistic in outlook and easy to approach.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev John Corcoran SJ

Biographical Notes