Francis Whitely | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev Francis Whitely SJ Title: Rev First Name: Francis Middle Names: Xavier Preferred Name: Surname: Whitely Order: SJ Date of Birth: 09-Jun-1899 Place of Birth: Fremantle WA Country of Birth: Australia Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 23-Dec-1989 Place of Death: Sydney NSW Country of Death: Australia Date of Burial: Place of Burial: Macquarie Park, Ryde NSW Country of Burial: Australia Find A Grave URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145671835 FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Whitely, Francis Xavier Teacher, missionary; born Fremantle, Western Australia, 9 June 1899; died Sydney, 23 December 1989, aged 90. Francis Xavier Whitely was the first Western Australian to join the Jesuits. He entered the Society, 24 January 1915, a few days after he had heard that he had gained second place and an exhibition in the State's public examinations. His Jesuit studies were in Belgium, Ireland, France and Wales, but it was during his tertianship year at Paray-le-Monial that he embraced the devotion to the Sacred Heart, which became a passion during his long life. His first appointment after tertianship was to Xavier College, Melbourne, 1932-39, as teacher and division prefect. With only one year, 1940, at St Aloysius' College, he developed a life-long love of this school. Then he joined the Bombay Province in India, 1940-68. He had a large shed mission in Bandra, when 700 poor immigrants came to the large city for work. These people built a church/school with what little finance they could obtain. He remained in India for 25 years, also translating some Indian works into English. As a result of his Indian experience he developed a considerable ill-ease with Indians. It was decided that he should return to Australia, and his first appointment was to the parish of Norwood, South Australia, 1969-70. He returned to St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, 1971-79. He mixed happily with the junior boys, teaching religion and directing the Crusaders of the Blessed Sacrament. He took charge of the cleanliness and order of the yard in Wyalla. He built a special tree house for the boys, which delighted them, but amazed all others. He did not like people using the yard in Wyalla for any purpose, especially for parking cars, and so would frequently change the locks, much to the annoyance of all, including the rector. It was said that he had three pet aversions, Indians, nuns, and cars, and when all three in one turned up one day at the gates of Wyalla, they were not warmly welcomed. He loved sport, especially cricket, and was a regular visitor to watch the college games, usually riding his bicycle, even along the busy Pacific Highway. He exhibited great personal poverty, and wrote many letters to the provincial concerning the difficulties he had at St Aloysius', such as the destruction of the old chapel and being removed from chaplain duties in the junior school. He was against concelebrations, community Mass and prayer, and meetings. He loved the old Church and Society. As he grew older, he was retired to Canisius College, Pymble, but his great energy enabled him to attend the cricket and football matches played by the boys of St Aloysius' College. He wrote an autobiography, Faces Beloved, which was censored, but it showed much of his confusions in life. He held a family reunion of 600 cousins in Perth at Murdoch University on 27 January 1985. A picture of him in Jesuit gown racing across a paddock trying to bless animals was a feature of the daily newspaper. Finally, he was sent to a retirement village at Hornsby where he died. Whitely had many eccentricities, which often clouded the impact of some of his wise comments on life. He was not a man that could be ignored in any community in which he lived. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

Francis

Middle Names:

Xavier

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Whitely

Order:

Date of Birth:

09-Jun-1899

Place of Birth:

Fremantle WA

Country of Birth:

Australia

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

23-Dec-1989

Place of Death:

Sydney NSW

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

Place of Burial:

Macquarie Park, Ryde NSW

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145671835

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Whitely, Francis Xavier

Teacher, missionary; born Fremantle, Western Australia, 9 June 1899; died Sydney, 23 December 1989, aged 90.

Francis Xavier Whitely was the first Western Australian to join the Jesuits. He entered the Society, 24 January 1915, a few days after he had heard that he had gained second place and an exhibition in the State's public examinations. His Jesuit studies were in Belgium, Ireland, France and Wales, but it was during his tertianship year at Paray-le-Monial that he embraced the devotion to the Sacred Heart, which became a passion during his long life.

His first appointment after tertianship was to Xavier College, Melbourne, 1932-39, as teacher and division prefect. With only one year, 1940, at St Aloysius' College, he developed a life-long love of this school.

Then he joined the Bombay Province in India, 1940-68. He had a large shed mission in Bandra, when 700 poor immigrants came to the large city for work. These people built a church/school with what little finance they could obtain. He remained in India for 25 years, also translating some Indian works into English.

As a result of his Indian experience he developed a considerable ill-ease with Indians. It was decided that he should return to Australia, and his first appointment was to the parish of Norwood, South Australia, 1969-70. He returned to St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, 1971-79.

He mixed happily with the junior boys, teaching religion and directing the Crusaders of the Blessed Sacrament. He took charge of the cleanliness and order of the yard in Wyalla. He built a special tree house for the boys, which delighted them, but amazed all others. He did not like people using the yard in Wyalla for any purpose, especially for parking cars, and so would frequently change the locks, much to the annoyance of all, including the rector. It was said that he had three pet aversions, Indians, nuns, and cars, and when all three in one turned up one day at the gates of Wyalla, they were not warmly welcomed.

He loved sport, especially cricket, and was a regular visitor to watch the college games, usually riding his bicycle, even along the busy Pacific Highway. He exhibited great personal poverty, and wrote many letters to the provincial concerning the difficulties he had at St Aloysius', such as the destruction of the old chapel and being removed from chaplain duties in the junior school. He was against concelebrations, community Mass and prayer, and meetings. He loved the old Church and Society.

As he grew older, he was retired to Canisius College, Pymble, but his great energy enabled him to attend the cricket and football matches played by the boys of St Aloysius' College. He wrote an autobiography, Faces Beloved, which was censored, but it showed much of his confusions in life. He held a family reunion of 600 cousins in Perth at Murdoch University on 27 January 1985. A picture of him in Jesuit gown racing across a paddock trying to bless animals was a feature of the daily newspaper. Finally, he was sent to a retirement village at Hornsby where he died.

Whitely had many eccentricities, which often clouded the impact of some of his wise comments on life. He was not a man that could be ignored in any community in which he lived.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev Francis Whitely SJ

Biographical Notes