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

Medical doctor, teacher, missionary; born Ashton, NSW, 23 August 1918; died Hazaribag, India, 3 July 1993, aged 74.

Michael Mulhearn was the youngest of seven sons of Thomas Mulhearn, a sawmill manager. He received his secondary education at St Joseph's College, Hunter's Hill, Sydney. He was later known as a good spin-bowler. After school he studied medicine at the University of Sydney. It was probably here that he learnt the virtues of precision, promptness and care in observation. He was always to keep his interest in medical matters.

He entered the Society in July 1942, at Loyola College, Watsonia, not long after his graduation with the degree MBBS. His juniorate and philosophy studies were completed at Watsonia. Regency was at St Louis School, Perth, and theology at Canisius College, Pymble, began in 1951. He was ordained in 1953, and was assigned to the Hazaribag mission towards the end of 1954.

During these years of formation, Mulhearn's contemporaries remarked that he was a good religious, prayerful, a good community man, and somewhat retiring. His activities were usually supportive and unobtrusive. He quietly affirmed others and was most ready to serve others in the community.

Upon arrival in India, Mulhearn went to study Hindi at Manresa House, Ranchi, and soon after taught biology at near-by St Xavier's (tertiary) College. At times he could be fiery in his reactions. Some people considered him intractable, firmly fixed in his own ways. He was very strong-minded. Yet, related well to some of the brothers; they enjoyed his conversation and the way he shared his knowledge with them. He was at home with the poor, the simple and unsophisticated.

Tertianship was at Sitagarha in 1957, after which he was appointed senior science master at St Xavier's School, Hazaribag. In 1960 he took charge, especially of the new-built science laboratories. He moved to a room in the residence that he was to occupy for the next thirty years of his life. He was a demanding teacher, and most students and parents responded well to Mulhearn's strict requirements, but he would not tolerate the lazy or the difficult student. Some Jesuits were concerned about his over-strict behaviour as not being conducive to self-discipline and self-learning. Some students were spending more time on physics than on the subjects of other teachers. In fact, after leaving school, many students expressed their appreciation of Mulhearn's teaching, and for the way he had helped them prepare for life. One group of ex-students to which Mulhearn especially related was of course the growing number of medical people.

After retirement he set up a well-equipped workshop, where boys would spend time with their craft models or other hobbies. He also mended watches, radios and cassette players. He was never idle.

Mulhearn was never seen without his cassock. The clock regulated his day. He followed a routine that was rarely changed. He said Mass very early each day, and recited the Latin breviary. His morning and evening meals were taken in silence, and he hated unusual noises at night.

The structures that supported Mulhearn's personal life appeared almost impervious to change. Old ways were the best for him, even his theology. Solidarity was the characteristic virtue of all his virtues, as it was equally the hall-mark of his personal life-structures. He was a religious who lived life religiously, a priest whose priesthood somehow left its imprint on all that he did. Poverty was another special virtue of his. When he died, he left practically nothing.

In his work he was a true environmentalist, he cared for all living things. At various times he kept rabbits and fish, cared for sick monkeys and pythons. This interest was passionately communicated to many of his students.

From 1992 Mulhearn began to suffer angina pain, and its effects were frequently felt. Yet he did not want more than ordinary care to be taken of him. He wanted Nature to take its course. His breathing became more difficult as time progressed. During this time he mellowed in behaviour, and finally died peacefully in his room one late afternoon.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)