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

Teacher, administrator; born, Dublin, Ireland, 31 March 1910; died Sydney, 3 June 1997, aged 87.

Thomas Barden was a twin. His sister, Hyacinth, subsequently joined the Loreto Sisters and lived in Africa. His older brother, Archbishop William OP, was the former archbishop of Tehran until the overthrow of the Shah.

Barden was educated first by the Presentation Sisters and the Christian Brothers. In 1922 he gained a scholarship to the Jesuit school, Mungret, where he completed his secondary studies. He subsequently joined the Society at Tullamore, 1 September 1927. His juniorate was at Rathfarnham, 1929-32, when he gained a BA degree from University College, Dublin, in Celtic studies. Philosophy followed, 1932-35, at St Helier, Channel Islands, where he gained a life-long interest in the French language. Regency was at St Aloysius' College, Sydney, 1935-39. In 1936 he accepted Australian citizenship.

In October 1939 Barden went to Milltown Park, Dublin, for theology studies and was ordained, 13 May 1942. Tertianship followed at Rathfarnham, and final vows were taken, 2 February 1944. Parish work followed in Liverpool, UK, for a year.

Barden returned to Australia and worked from 1945-47 at St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, before being appointed rector of St Louis School, Perth, 1948-52. Here, he became popular with a number of families who supported him in developing the school oval facilities. His students remember his wit, shrewdness and ability to inspire them.

He was headmaster at St Ignatius' College, Norwood, 1954-61. His style and manner during these years did much to establish the tradition of rapport and affection between staff and students. He was a firm disciplinarian, and the tongue-lashings he gave were formidable, as was his humour and the twinkle in his eye, which indicated a man who loved the school, the work he was doing, and the boys he taught. He also employed the first lay teachers.

For a few years, 1962-64, he was dean of students at St Thomas More University College, Perth. He did not enjoy working with tertiary students, and so from 1965-68 became vice-rector and prefect of studies at St Louis School once again. From 1969-74 he was a respected French teacher and form master at St Aloysius' College, and from 1975-84 performed similar duties at St Ignatius' College, Athelstone, South Australia; here he was also the community bursar.

His final appointment was again to St Aloysius' College in 1985, where he taught again for some years. For the last seven years of his life his memory became unreliable, and from 1993 he moved to a retirement hostel, McQuoin Park, Waitara, NSW, where he was happy and well cared for. When he finally began to fail in health he was transferred to the Greenwich Convalescent Hospital.

Barden was very Irish, a great conversationalist and story-teller, entertaining and witty. He was a good companion, and a joy at any party. As an administrator, he was efficient and fair, and incisive in his decisions. He had a gift at preaching and was a good retreat giver, even though not creative in thought. He was experienced as a wise counsellor, and a fair judge of human nature. He made many friends among the parents of students in Perth, Adelaide and Sydney, some of whom kept life-long contact.

Batchelor, John

Teacher, pastor; born Marnoo, Victoria, 16 December 1913; died Sydney, 27 December 2015, aged 102.

After a series of small strokes, John Batchelor died eleven days after his 102nd birthday, having been a Jesuit for 80 years. As his family lived in regional Victoria and were without means during the Great Depression, he contacted the Jesuit provincial in response to an article about Jesuit vocations, but said he had no money to complete his secondary education. The provincial promptly accepted him into the Society. After his formation at Loyola College (Watsonia) and Canisius College (Pymble), which he found challenging because of his difficult understanding Latin lectures, he mainly taught religion in the province primary school for 47 years in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.

From 1985-1994 he worked as chaplain at the Little Company of Mary Bethlehem Hospital in Melbourne, a ministry he particularly enjoyed. Pastoral work in the Norwood parish Adelaide followed, 1995-1998, where he had special care of the sick and elderly.

Short, gentle and with disarming simplicity, he had a natural affinity with young children and endeared himself to many people. Even after retiring to Canisius College/Arrupe House at the age of 86, he offered chaplaincy services to an aged care facility, McQuoin Park, Waitara, a few days a week, and where he himself took up residence in the last four months of his life.

Over the years, Batchelor’s spiritual care, conversations and friendships supported hundreds. His humble, good-natured manner and winning smile touched people’s lives and earned him the affection of fellow Jesuits. He had the ability to stand back and see life as a whole. He was a prayerful man, at peace with God and his neighbour.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)