Bert Balding | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev Bert Balding SJ Title: Rev First Name: Herbert Middle Names: Preferred Name: Bert Surname: Balding Order: SJ Date of Birth: 07-Sep-1918 Place of Birth: Melbourne VIC Country of Birth: Australia Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 08-Nov-1995 Place of Death: Sydney NSW Country of Death: Australia Date of Burial: 1995 Place of Burial: Macquarie Park, Ryde NSW Country of Burial: Australia Find A Grave URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145276995 FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Balding, Herbert Teacher, missionary; born Melbourne, 7 September 1918; died Sydney, 8 November 1995, aged 77. Bert Balding was educated at St Patrick’s College, East Melbourne. He entered the Society at Loyola College, Watsonia, 16 February 1936, and completed all his Jesuit training in Australia. Regency was at Xavier College, Kostka Hall, 1943-45. After tertianship at Sevenhill in 1950, he left for the Indian Mission in Ranchi, 1951, where he undertook language studies, and became a Hindi expert. Until 1960 he remained working in India, working first at St Xavier's, Hazaribag, as teacher and prefect. Balding was a perfectionist with an exacting sense of discipline. In this respect he was practically the opposite of John Moore, the headmaster. He was then headmaster at St Joseph's Middle School, Mahuadanr, and Our Lady Queen School, Maheshmunda, and was finally parish priest of the same village. He was successful in toning up the school both academically and in co-curricular activities like scouting, but chafed at what he saw as the sluggish response to his disciplinary measures. As parish priest his lasting achievement was the building of the church that was blessed in 1958. Balding returned to Australia for health reasons, and spent 1960-68 as a teacher of religion and English at St Louis School, Perth, followed by three years at Xavier College, Kostka Hall, teaching religion and French. From 1972-3 he went to Rosary College, Kondiu, Papua New Guinea, as a teacher and chaplain. After two years teaching religion, English, French and history at Kostka Hall, he went to St Ignatius College, Norwood, as chaplain for two years, then one year as chaplain to the Mercy Hospital, East Melbourne. He also spent a year of renewal at St Peter's Centre for Clergy Education, Canberra Then, he volunteered to go to Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, as parish priest from 1979-84. It is a most remote and austere part of Australia, and very lonely, but Balding brought hope to the small group of Catholics in that town. After some further years in parish ministry at Toowong and various places, his health deteriorated with Parkinson's disease, and he had to retire to Canisius College, Pymble. In his prime, Balding had been a strong, energetic and very dedicated priest. He seemed to be a natural missionary, and was happiest when ministering in remote places, and working at hard, tedious and drudging work. In his parish ministry he coupled cheerful gentleness with unremitting labour. He was a quiet companion who, despite lonely ministries, enjoyed the company of Jesuits. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

Herbert

Middle Names:

Preferred Name:

Bert

Surname:

Balding

Order:

Date of Birth:

07-Sep-1918

Place of Birth:

Melbourne VIC

Country of Birth:

Australia

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

08-Nov-1995

Place of Death:

Sydney NSW

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

1995

Place of Burial:

Macquarie Park, Ryde NSW

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145276995

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

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

Teacher, missionary; born Melbourne, 7 September 1918; died Sydney, 8 November 1995, aged 77.

Bert Balding was educated at St Patrick’s College, East Melbourne. He entered the Society at Loyola College, Watsonia, 16 February 1936, and completed all his Jesuit training in Australia. Regency was at Xavier College, Kostka Hall, 1943-45. After tertianship at Sevenhill in 1950, he left for the Indian Mission in Ranchi, 1951, where he undertook language studies, and became a Hindi expert. Until 1960 he remained working in India, working first at St Xavier's, Hazaribag, as teacher and prefect. Balding was a perfectionist with an exacting sense of discipline. In this respect he was practically the opposite of John Moore, the headmaster. He was then headmaster at St Joseph's Middle School, Mahuadanr, and Our Lady Queen School, Maheshmunda, and was finally parish priest of the same village. He was successful in toning up the school both academically and in co-curricular activities like scouting, but chafed at what he saw as the sluggish response to his disciplinary measures. As parish priest his lasting achievement was the building of the church that was blessed in 1958.

Balding returned to Australia for health reasons, and spent 1960-68 as a teacher of religion and English at St Louis School, Perth, followed by three years at Xavier College, Kostka Hall, teaching religion and French. From 1972-3 he went to Rosary College, Kondiu, Papua New Guinea, as a teacher and chaplain. After two years teaching religion, English, French and history at Kostka Hall, he went to St Ignatius College, Norwood, as chaplain for two years, then one year as chaplain to the Mercy Hospital, East Melbourne. He also spent a year of renewal at St Peter's Centre for Clergy Education, Canberra

Then, he volunteered to go to Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, as parish priest from 1979-84. It is a most remote and austere part of Australia, and very lonely, but Balding brought hope to the small group of Catholics in that town. After some further years in parish ministry at Toowong and various places, his health deteriorated with Parkinson's disease, and he had to retire to Canisius College, Pymble.

In his prime, Balding had been a strong, energetic and very dedicated priest. He seemed to be a natural missionary, and was happiest when ministering in remote places, and working at hard, tedious and drudging work. In his parish ministry he coupled cheerful gentleness with unremitting labour. He was a quiet companion who, despite lonely ministries, enjoyed the company of Jesuits.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev Bert Balding SJ

Biographical Notes