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

Missionary, teacher, administrator, treasurer; born South Melbourne, 17 January 1931; died St Stanislaus College, Sitagarha, Hazaribag, India, 25 April 2021, aged 90.

Peter Terrence Jones was the first of two sons of Sydney and Mary. He had four sisters, two of whom became religious. The family lived in Port Melbourne. His primary education was with the Brigidine Sisters in St Joseph's parish school, Port Melbourne, while secondary education was with the Christian Brothers at St Colman's, Fitzroy, East Melbourne, and St Kevin's, Toorak. After completing his matriculation, Jones spent five years at The University of Melbourne, graduating in 1954 with Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and Bachelor of Arts in mathematics (Hons).

Jones joined the Jesuits, 1 February 1955, at Loyola College, Watsonia, followed by a juniorate year and three years of philosophy. He left for India and the Hazaribag mission in 1962, where he taught mathematics at St Xavier's for three years, before theology studies at St Mary's, Kurseong. He was ordained by Archbishop Pius Kerketta, 12 March 1967 in St Stanislaus', Sitagarha.

Between ordination and tertianship, Jones taught mathematics for five years at St Xavier's, Hazaribag. Here he pioneered 'new maths'. As there were no textbooks, Jones wrote his own three-year course and circulated them among the teachers. This method was soon accepted by the whole school. After tertianship he spent a year in Cambridge University, UK, gaining a Higher Diploma in education, specialising in mathematics.

At the end of 1975 Jones returned to Hazaribag after a year spent in Mahuadanr, and for seven years was principal, rector, and regional treasurer. During this time the boarding section of St Xavier's was closed, and the new St Robert's High School moved into some of the hostel buildings. With structural changes made at the school, the Jesuit community was brought together under one roof that made for more regular and more relaxed community life.

For the following ten years Jones was parish priest, superior, and dean at Mahuadanr, a mission he much enjoyed as it gave him an appreciation of rural life. As parish priest, Jones promoted the branch of the Catholic Co-operative Credit Society, which in time flourished. He related to this organisation for many years.

In 1992 Jones was transferred to St Xavier's, Bokaro Steel City as treasurer and vice-principal of the middle school and was again superior.

Jones was appointed headmaster of St Louis School Balidih in 1999. This was a short-lived appointment because of poor student results, and despite efforts of Jones to remedy the situation, the grievances of the parents resulted in the Jesuits withdrawing from Balidih at the end of the year.

During this time, he had a serious accident when his cycle collided with a cow and knocked him down. He suffered a fractured femur. Following another fall some years later, Jones was left with a permanent limp, necessitating the use of a stick.

Finally, mention must be made of his work as a popular spiritual guide and confessor of sisters. The obvious hard-headed intellectual gave way to communicating Ignatian spirituality laced with humour. He was fondly remembered especially by the older Holy Cross Sisters.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)