Thomas Fitzgerald | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev Thomas Fitzgerald SJ Title: Rev First Name: Thomas Middle Names: Preferred Name: Surname: Fitzgerald Order: SJ Date of Birth: 05-Aug-1890 Place of Birth: Eaglehawk VIC Country of Birth: Australia Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 20-Jan-1956 Place of Death: Calcutta Country of Death: India Date of Burial: Place of Burial: Country of Burial: Find A Grave URL: FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Fitzgerald, Thomas Missionary; born Eaglehawk, Victoria, 5 August 1890; died Calcutta, 20 January 1956, aged 66. Thomas Fitzgerald grew up around Castlemaine, the eldest of seven children, and was educated by the Mercy Sisters. As a youth he had a desire to become a missionary in Asia, so after matriculating at school he apprenticed himself to a local chemist for three years, as he thought that missionaries should know something about medicine. The pharmacist so liked Fitzgerald that he wanted him to take over the business. However, Fitzgerald held fast to his dream. After reading about the Jesuit Mission in Madura in the Messenger of the Sacred Heart, he contacted the editor, Fr Michael Watson, despite the fact that he had never met a Jesuit before. Watson forwarded Fitzgerald’s correspondence on to the superior of the Madura Mission. After some correspondence he came to Melbourne where he had four interviews with Jesuits at St Patrick’s College. He was eventually accepted by the French Jesuit Mission, Toulouse Province, to join the Madura Mission, and entered the noviciate in Shembaganur on 5 September 1913. After vows on 6 September 1916, he studied philosophy at Shembaganur, followed by a year of teaching in a secondary and apostolic school in Maduraig. Theology was at Kurseong from 1923. Having transferred to the Calcutta Vice-Province, he was appointed sub-prefect at St Xavier’s, Calcutta, 1926-27, and then taught in Ranchi, 1927-28. From 1928-30 he was in the parish of the Sacred Heart in Calcutta. By 1932 he was at Asanol where he was chaplain to the Sacred Heart of Jesus School, and also worked in mission stations in the area. In 1935 he was in Burpur, and from 1938 for several years he was stationed at the Church of St Francis Xavier, Bow Bazar St, Calcutta. During 1947 he was at the Church of St Mary of the Good Journey, Mukhrarm Kanuria Rd, Howrah, Calcutta, but was back at Asanol as chaplain to St Vincent’ School in 1948. From 1950 illness forced him to retire to St Xavier’s College, Calcutta, where he remained until his death. It was during this time that he made contact with other Australian Jesuits working in India. From a chance reading of a periodical, Fitzgerald was proud of his vocation that lead him unexpectedly to the south of India, and ending up in the north. He was the doyen of the Australian Jesuits in India. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

Thomas

Middle Names:

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Fitzgerald

Order:

Date of Birth:

05-Aug-1890

Place of Birth:

Eaglehawk VIC

Country of Birth:

Australia

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

20-Jan-1956

Place of Death:

Calcutta

Country of Death:

India

Date of Burial:

Place of Burial:

Country of Burial:

Find A Grave URL:

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

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

Missionary; born Eaglehawk, Victoria, 5 August 1890; died Calcutta, 20 January 1956, aged 66.

Thomas Fitzgerald grew up around Castlemaine, the eldest of seven children, and was educated by the Mercy Sisters. As a youth he had a desire to become a missionary in Asia, so after matriculating at school he apprenticed himself to a local chemist for three years, as he thought that missionaries should know something about medicine. The pharmacist so liked Fitzgerald that he wanted him to take over the business. However, Fitzgerald held fast to his dream. After reading about the Jesuit Mission in Madura in the Messenger of the Sacred Heart, he contacted the editor, Fr Michael Watson, despite the fact that he had never met a Jesuit before. Watson forwarded Fitzgerald’s correspondence on to the superior of the Madura Mission. After some correspondence he came to Melbourne where he had four interviews with Jesuits at St Patrick’s College. He was eventually accepted by the French Jesuit Mission, Toulouse Province, to join the Madura Mission, and entered the noviciate in Shembaganur on 5 September 1913. After vows on 6 September 1916, he studied philosophy at Shembaganur, followed by a year of teaching in a secondary and apostolic school in Maduraig. Theology was at Kurseong from 1923.

Having transferred to the Calcutta Vice-Province, he was appointed sub-prefect at St Xavier’s, Calcutta, 1926-27, and then taught in Ranchi, 1927-28. From 1928-30 he was in the parish of the Sacred Heart in Calcutta. By 1932 he was at Asanol where he was chaplain to the Sacred Heart of Jesus School, and also worked in mission stations in the area. In 1935 he was in Burpur, and from 1938 for several years he was stationed at the Church of St Francis Xavier, Bow Bazar St, Calcutta. During 1947 he was at the Church of St Mary of the Good Journey, Mukhrarm Kanuria Rd, Howrah, Calcutta, but was back at Asanol as chaplain to St Vincent’ School in 1948. From 1950 illness forced him to retire to St Xavier’s College, Calcutta, where he remained until his death. It was during this time that he made contact with other Australian Jesuits working in India.

From a chance reading of a periodical, Fitzgerald was proud of his vocation that lead him unexpectedly to the south of India, and ending up in the north. He was the doyen of the Australian Jesuits in India.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev Thomas Fitzgerald SJ

Biographical Notes