Peter Lewis | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev Peter Lewis SJ Title: Rev First Name: Peter Middle Names: Brian Preferred Name: Surname: Lewis Order: SJ Date of Birth: 03-Mar-1921 Place of Birth: Khargpur, Calcutta Country of Birth: India Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 12-Nov-1982 Place of Death: Melbourne VIC Country of Death: Australia Date of Burial: 1982 Place of Burial: Boroondara, Kew VIC Country of Burial: Australia Find A Grave URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/199466096 FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Lewis, Peter Missionary; born Khargpur, Calcutta, India, 3 March 1921; died Melbourne, 12 November 1982, aged 61. Peter Lewis was born of English parents, and educated at the Goethals school at Kurseong in the Himalayas, run by the Christian Brothers. On leaving school he joined the RAF in 1938 and served as a wireless operator, navigator and gunner during the war and afterwards in the Berlin airlift. After a difficult discharge from the RAF, he came to Australia and entered the Jesuit noviciate at Loyola College, Watsonia, 25 May 1949. He returned to India after his noviceship and completed his studies there: philosophy at Shembaganur, 1953-54, theology, De Nobili College, Poona, 1956-58, and tertianship at Sitagarha, 1959. He became notably proficient in Hindi and developed a great care for the tribal people. He was director of the Teachers' Training Institute near Hazaribag, 1963-68, where one of his main tasks was to develop the rice and wheat fields in an attempt to make the Institute self-sufficient in food. He was equally successful in the vegetable garden and in the fruit orchard. Several water conservation dams rounded off his significant contribution. The local people were grateful for his valuable input and advice in matters agricultural. Lewis was also pastor of the parishes of Mahuadanr, Bhurkunda and Kanjia, 1968-82, and was one time dean of the parish Jesuits in the Palamau District. He loved the people of Chotanagpur, its people and its customs, on which he considered himself an authority. He was a jovial companion and a rather novice-like religious, a very hearty exterior hiding a rather shy man of few intimate friends but deep loyalties to the Church. While in Sydney for medical treatment, he worked first in the Chatswood parish, and then went to Melbourne for his retreat. He died of a heart attack at the provincial residence while preparing to return to the Indian Mission. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

Peter

Middle Names:

Brian

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Lewis

Order:

Date of Birth:

03-Mar-1921

Place of Birth:

Khargpur, Calcutta

Country of Birth:

India

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

12-Nov-1982

Place of Death:

Melbourne VIC

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

1982

Place of Burial:

Boroondara, Kew VIC

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/199466096

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

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

Missionary; born Khargpur, Calcutta, India, 3 March 1921; died Melbourne, 12 November 1982, aged 61.

Peter Lewis was born of English parents, and educated at the Goethals school at Kurseong in the Himalayas, run by the Christian Brothers. On leaving school he joined the RAF in 1938 and served as a wireless operator, navigator and gunner during the war and afterwards in the Berlin airlift.

After a difficult discharge from the RAF, he came to Australia and entered the Jesuit noviciate at Loyola College, Watsonia, 25 May 1949. He returned to India after his noviceship and completed his studies there: philosophy at Shembaganur, 1953-54, theology, De Nobili College, Poona, 1956-58, and tertianship at Sitagarha, 1959.

He became notably proficient in Hindi and developed a great care for the tribal people. He was director of the Teachers' Training Institute near Hazaribag, 1963-68, where one of his main tasks was to develop the rice and wheat fields in an attempt to make the Institute self-sufficient in food. He was equally successful in the vegetable garden and in the fruit orchard. Several water conservation dams rounded off his significant contribution. The local people were grateful for his valuable input and advice in matters agricultural.

Lewis was also pastor of the parishes of Mahuadanr, Bhurkunda and Kanjia, 1968-82, and was one time dean of the parish Jesuits in the Palamau District. He loved the people of Chotanagpur, its people and its customs, on which he considered himself an authority.

He was a jovial companion and a rather novice-like religious, a very hearty exterior hiding a rather shy man of few intimate friends but deep loyalties to the Church.

While in Sydney for medical treatment, he worked first in the Chatswood parish, and then went to Melbourne for his retreat. He died of a heart attack at the provincial residence while preparing to return to the Indian Mission.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev Peter Lewis SJ

Biographical Notes