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

Missionary, spiritual director, pastor; born Melbourne, 21 September 1939; died Melbourne, 5 August 2019, aged 79.

Barry John O'Loughlin was one of three children of John and Catherine. After primary school at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Deepdene, he entered Xavier College, Kew. He joined the Jesuit novitiate, Loyola college, Watsonia, 1 February 1959, followed by philosophy studies, 1961-63. During this time, he asked to be sent to the Australian Hazaribag Mission in India.

Arriving in India January 1964, he began teaching at St Xavier's, Hazaribag. In June 1966 he spent six months studying Hindi at Manresa House, Ranchi.

Theology studies was at St Mary's College, Kurseong from June 1968. His rector was Father Herbert Alphonso, an expert in Ignatian spirituality. This inspired O'Loughlin in future years.

Parish ministry followed ordination, first at Hazaribag, then Mahuadanr from mid-1972, and then, in November 1974 O'Loughlin moved further north to establish a new parish in Sale. The land on which his house was built lay approximately on the border between two Chhechari villages, Sale and Kutuderi. At the same time three Sisters of Charity of Nazareth settled in Kutuderi, and one of them assisted O'Loughlin in the Sale parish. He remained at Sale until mid-1977 when he left to complete his tertianship in Dindigal.

Most Catholics in the new parish were Oraons living in villages on the floor of the valley. As the parish had no church, Mass was celebrated in the open in front of O'Loughlin's residence. Other parish meetings occurred in the same space. As the number of converts grew, they built a simple church-building.

Further parish ministry followed tertianship in Chhipadohar, Bhurkunda and Daltonganj, 1978-1998. During these years, O'Loughlin acquired a deep knowledge of Adivasi culture and combined his skills as a pastor with zeal for the Spiritual Exercises.

In 1987, O'Loughlin went to Chicago for studies in spirituality. Following this, his retreats covered places like Hong Kong, Myanmar, Cambodia, and many places in India. In 1993, he joined a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Loyola, Lourdes and Lisieux. Over the years he gave talks on spiritual direction to the Jesuit tertians at Sitagarha.

O'Loughlin was well appreciated as a confessor and spiritual director, giving much emphasis to God's love.

In the early 2000's, O'Loughlin joined a parish team In Mahuadanr, and in 2006 he moved to the pre-noviciate community in Shahpur, Daltonganj, teaching the pre-novices with dedication and commitment. He was a man of simplicity and humility, which attracted him to people: very sensitive to the needs of others. He was a man of prayer and action, with a special ministry to the sick and prisoners.

During April 2018, O'Loughlin developed a serious infection on his left calf muscle which was diagnosed as gangrene. This took much time to heal. In February 2019, he moved to Australia, living at Campion House, Kew. While undergoing skin draft treatment, he sustained a heart attack and kidney failure, from which he did not survive.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)