Michael Watson | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev Michael Watson SJ Title: Rev First Name: Michael Middle Names: J. Preferred Name: Surname: Watson Order: SJ Date of Birth: 11-Feb-1845 Place of Birth: Athlone, Co Westmeath Country of Birth: Ireland Date of Ordination: 10-Sep-1871 Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 02-Jul-1931 Place of Death: Melbourne VIC Country of Death: Australia Date of Burial: 04-Jul-1931 Place of Burial: Boroondara, Kew VIC Country of Burial: Australia Find A Grave URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/208263599 FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Watson, Michael Teacher, pastor, editor; born Athlone, Ireland, 11 February 1845; died Melbourne, 2 July 1931, aged 86. Michael Watson was educated at Athlone and at Maynooth, where he spent five years, and was ordained sub-deacon the year he entered the Society, 2 November 1867. After his two-year noviceship he studied two years of theology at Louvain and was ordained, 10 September 1871. Watson arrived in Australia, 10 April 1873, and was assigned to St Patrick's College, East Melbourne. Here he taught, was founder-director of the men's Sodality of Our Lady from 1874, and in 1880 taught theology. In 1877 he founded and edited the St Patrick's College Gazette. He spent a few years at Xavier College, 1880-81 and 1882-88, as minister and teaching Christian doctrine. However, he returned to St Patrick's College in 1888 and remained there for the rest of his life. He began editing the Messenger in January 1887, assisted with the Apostleship of Prayer and did pastoral work. He gave a talk to the boys every Wednesday, and celebrated benediction of feast days. He was a popular confessor. He was minister, 1888-91, and edited the Madonna from 1898. During this period he was for many years director of retreats in Victoria and South Australia. He ceased to be editor of the Messenger in 1919 and of the Madonna in 1923. Watson was a very sound theologian: he was also very widely read in literature, and corresponded with such literary figures as Sir Aubrey de Vere. In his youth he was valued as a preacher and retreat-giver, but became totally deaf about 1885. For the greater part of his life, therefore, he had to work mainly through the written word. He was also the author of some pious books and pamphlets, and verses, which had quite a wide circulation. He contributed articles to the local Catholic newspaper, the Advocate. Those who lived with him at St Patrick's College and those who knew him thought of him quite simply as a saint. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

Michael

Middle Names:

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Watson

Order:

Date of Birth:

11-Feb-1845

Place of Birth:

Athlone, Co Westmeath

Country of Birth:

Ireland

Date of Ordination:

10-Sep-1871

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

02-Jul-1931

Place of Death:

Melbourne VIC

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

04-Jul-1931

Place of Burial:

Boroondara, Kew VIC

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/208263599

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

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

Teacher, pastor, editor; born Athlone, Ireland, 11 February 1845; died Melbourne, 2 July 1931, aged 86.

Michael Watson was educated at Athlone and at Maynooth, where he spent five years, and was ordained sub-deacon the year he entered the Society, 2 November 1867. After his two-year noviceship he studied two years of theology at Louvain and was ordained, 10 September 1871.

Watson arrived in Australia, 10 April 1873, and was assigned to St Patrick's College, East Melbourne. Here he taught, was founder-director of the men's Sodality of Our Lady from 1874, and in 1880 taught theology. In 1877 he founded and edited the St Patrick's College Gazette.

He spent a few years at Xavier College, 1880-81 and 1882-88, as minister and teaching Christian doctrine. However, he returned to St Patrick's College in 1888 and remained there for the rest of his life. He began editing the Messenger in January 1887, assisted with the Apostleship of Prayer and did pastoral work. He gave a talk to the boys every Wednesday, and celebrated benediction of feast days. He was a popular confessor. He was minister, 1888-91, and edited the Madonna from 1898. During this period he was for many years director of retreats in Victoria and South Australia. He ceased to be editor of the Messenger in 1919 and of the Madonna in 1923.

Watson was a very sound theologian: he was also very widely read in literature, and corresponded with such literary figures as Sir Aubrey de Vere. In his youth he was valued as a preacher and retreat-giver, but became totally deaf about 1885. For the greater part of his life, therefore, he had to work mainly through the written word. He was also the author of some pious books and pamphlets, and verses, which had quite a wide circulation. He contributed articles to the local Catholic newspaper, the Advocate. Those who lived with him at St Patrick's College and those who knew him thought of him quite simply as a saint.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev Michael Watson SJ

Biographical Notes