George Aerts | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev George Aerts SJ Title: Rev First Name: Henry Middle Names: George Preferred Name: George Surname: Aerts Order: SJ Date of Birth: 04-Nov-1919 Place of Birth: Wijchmaal, Limburg Country of Birth: Belgium Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 26-Sep-1982 Place of Death: Sydney NSW Country of Death: Australia Date of Burial: 1982 Place of Burial: Macquarie Park, Ryde NSW Country of Burial: Australia Find A Grave URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145273392 FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Aerts, H George Migrant chaplain, media; born Wijchmaal, Limburg, Belgium, 4 November 1919; died Sydney, 26 September 1982, aged 62. George Aerts was very prominent in ethnic political circles in Australia. He was a journalist, a linguist and lobbyist on migrant issues. Besides being a regular broadcaster in French on 2EA, Aerts was also a convenor of the NSW Ethnic Communities Council media sub-committee, and he framed and presented the council's submissions to various broadcasting tribunals and inquiries. He was also editor of the ECC's newsletter and chaplain to the local French, Belgian, Russian and Greek communities, all of whose languages he spoke. He was also fluent in Italian and German. For his work with migrants he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal. A few weeks before his death, Aerts visited his native Belgium and was in Liège to celebrate his mother's 94th birthday. Aerts entered the Society at Drongen, Belgium, 23 September 1937, and completed his juniorate there. Philosophy studies were at Namur, followed by a classics degree in Brussels, 1941. He obtained a licentiate in philosophy from Egenhoven, Belgium, in 1945. Regency was at Aalst, 1944-46, and theology at Louvain, 1947-50, followed by postgraduate studies. He went to Rathfarnham, Dublin, for tertianship, 1951-52. Studies in liturgy and in the Russian language followed at the Russian College, Rome, from October 1952 to 1953. He worked with the Russian Catholic Press in Munchen, Germany, 1953, and had a similar job in Brussels, residing at the Gesu, until 1954. He worked at the weekly 'De Linie', in Brussels, 1954-55, and then returned to Munich in 1955-56, studying communism and Soviet affairs. He went to Brussels in 1957 to lecture, and, in 1958, went to Wah Yan College, Kowloon, to work with Russian refugees. Aerts was sent to Australia in 1963 and spent the rest of his Jesuit life in Sydney, first at the parish of Lavender Bay, and later at St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point. In addition, he lectured to the Jesuit theologians on oriental questions, especially on matters relating to marriage between Catholics and the Orthodox. He was not a charming person, and was fairly blunt in his dealings with people, but was approachable and willing to talk about his work if the inquirer had the courage and stamina to pursue his quests. He worked hard, but also had time to go to the beach in the middle of the day. He died suddenly from a heart attack. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

Henry

Middle Names:

George

Preferred Name:

George

Surname:

Aerts

Order:

Date of Birth:

04-Nov-1919

Place of Birth:

Wijchmaal, Limburg

Country of Birth:

Belgium

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

26-Sep-1982

Place of Death:

Sydney NSW

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

1982

Place of Burial:

Macquarie Park, Ryde NSW

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145273392

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Aerts, H George

Migrant chaplain, media; born Wijchmaal, Limburg, Belgium, 4 November 1919; died Sydney, 26 September 1982, aged 62.

George Aerts was very prominent in ethnic political circles in Australia. He was a journalist, a linguist and lobbyist on migrant issues. Besides being a regular broadcaster in French on 2EA, Aerts was also a convenor of the NSW Ethnic Communities Council media sub-committee, and he framed and presented the council's submissions to various broadcasting tribunals and inquiries. He was also editor of the ECC's newsletter and chaplain to the local French, Belgian, Russian and Greek communities, all of whose languages he spoke. He was also fluent in Italian and German. For his work with migrants he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal. A few weeks before his death, Aerts visited his native Belgium and was in Liège to celebrate his mother's 94th birthday.

Aerts entered the Society at Drongen, Belgium, 23 September 1937, and completed his juniorate there. Philosophy studies were at Namur, followed by a classics degree in Brussels, 1941. He obtained a licentiate in philosophy from Egenhoven, Belgium, in 1945. Regency was at Aalst, 1944-46, and theology at Louvain, 1947-50, followed by postgraduate studies. He went to Rathfarnham, Dublin, for tertianship, 1951-52.

Studies in liturgy and in the Russian language followed at the Russian College, Rome, from October 1952 to 1953. He worked with the Russian Catholic Press in Munchen, Germany, 1953, and had a similar job in Brussels, residing at the Gesu, until 1954. He worked at the weekly 'De Linie', in Brussels, 1954-55, and then returned to Munich in 1955-56, studying communism and Soviet affairs. He went to Brussels in 1957 to lecture, and, in 1958, went to Wah Yan College, Kowloon, to work with Russian refugees.

Aerts was sent to Australia in 1963 and spent the rest of his Jesuit life in Sydney, first at the parish of Lavender Bay, and later at St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point. In addition, he lectured to the Jesuit theologians on oriental questions, especially on matters relating to marriage between Catholics and the Orthodox.

He was not a charming person, and was fairly blunt in his dealings with people, but was approachable and willing to talk about his work if the inquirer had the courage and stamina to pursue his quests. He worked hard, but also had time to go to the beach in the middle of the day. He died suddenly from a heart attack.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev George Aerts SJ

Biographical Notes