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

Teacher, preacher; born North Carlton, Victoria, 7 March, 1912; died Kew, Melbourne, 24 July 1989, aged 77.

Gerald McColl Jones entered the Society, 6 February 1932, at Loyola College, Greenwich, NSW. Early in his noviceship he made his mark as an organiser and a specialist in heavy duties. As prefect of outdoor works he impressed all with his capacity for hard labour and for his good humour. He took charge of the packing and dispatching of the entire noviceship library, altar furniture, etc from Greenwich to Melbourne. He did the same at St Patrick's College when the school was closed and the Jesuits left their residence. He had great moral courage, and was strong and fearless.

At Loyola, Jones exercised his talent of a fine tenor voice that delighted many an audience, especially in his lead roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

After completing an arts course at the University of Melbourne, he proceeded to philosophy and finished his third year at the newly opened Canisius College, Pymble, in 1939. He did his regency at Riverview, where he quickly began to make his mark, and eventually became much appreciated for his work with debating and rowing, as well as a history teacher.

Gerald Jones' first appointment after tertianship was to St Patrick's College, East Melbourne in 1948, but the following year he was sent to St Ignatius' College, Riverview, where he remained until 1965 teaching history and English, and directing debating and rowing again with much success. In the nine years that he was debating master, Riverview was to reach the finals of the GPS competition six times, and won the Louat Shield three times. He sought to elicit originality and flair from his debaters. He showed skill in teaching boys to think for themselves, and always encouraged the talented speaker. In this he showed himself the great organiser. He began the systematisation of debating as a school activity, and it was in his time that the tradition of competition and success was first established.

At Riverview, Jones also began a programme of construction at the boat-shed area. His skills at stonework, developed during the pioneering year at Pymble, shone out in his repairing of the Riverview swimming pool, construction of a new boatshed and the construction of 'Cova' cottage for a resident lay master.

From his noviceship days he had cultivated a study of the Spiritual Exercises and the work of retreats became more and more the central interest in his life. Each vacation saw him giving retreats in all parts of Australia. His stories and good humour lifted many a tired religious. He saw creation in all its variety and excellence as a gift of God, to assist people to fulfil the purpose for which they were created.

As a teacher his philosophy was 'any views you hold are worthy of my study simply because you hold them: let me see if I understand them so that I can judge if they are worthy of you.' He had a reverence for those he taught. His nick-name among the boys was OGPU, a title given because he was considered larger-than-life, a Renaissance-like scholar.

Whenever ex-students from Riverview from the 1940s to 1970s gathered to share stories, those of 'Jonah' with all their hyperboles or exaggerations were retold with great enjoyment. 'Jonah's' own stories were enthralling, and it was very difficult for the listener to know where facts ended and fiction took over. 'Jonah' was certainly one of the great raconteurs of the province.

He returned to St Patrick's College, 1966-68, and then began a new ministry of directing retreats and managing the retreat centre at Loyola College, Watsonia until 1972. From that time, Jones became a local missionary giving retreats and helping out with parish supplies. He was the first province promoter of the Christian Life Communities, 1978-79. His last illness was very short and he died at St Raphael's Nursing Home, Kew.

Jones was one of the 'characters' of the province, full of passion for everything he did. His gift for adorning a tale was legendary, with hyperboles and exaggerations abundant. He had a prodigious memory and was a most lively teacher of history. He could depict an historical scene with great vividness.

He was renowned for his big-heartedness, his compassion and extraordinary gentleness with the sick and depressed, his great gift of lifting spirits with his colourful phrases and quick-witted humour, and his untiring energy and zeal in the apostolate of the Exercises. He was remembered for his openness to change while maintaining absolute fidelity to the Gospel. His exuberant vitality in the service of others was matched with a serene acceptance and embrace of suffering when that was offered to him.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)