John Forster | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev John Forster SJ Title: Rev First Name: John Middle Names: Preferred Name: Surname: Forster Order: SJ Date of Birth: 15-Sep-1870 Place of Birth: Brunswick, Melbourne VIC Country of Birth: Australia Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 01-Jan-1964 Place of Death: Sydney NSW Country of Death: Australia Date of Burial: 1964 Place of Burial: Gore Hill NSW Country of Burial: Australia Find A Grave URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/306421910 FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Forster, John Teacher; born Brunswick, Melbourne, 15 September 1870; died Sydney, 1 January 1964, aged 93. John Forster was an Old Boy of St Patrick's College, East Melbourne, and was the first novice to enter the new Jesuit noviciate at Greenwich, 18 January 1891, after some years as an apprentice draughtsman with the Victorian railways. He completed his juniorate at Loyola College, Greenwich, before teaching at St Aloysius' College, Bourke St, and Riverview, 1894-1900. After philosophy studies at Vals, France, he returned for two more years of regency at the Crescent before theology studies at Milltown, 1903-06. After tertianship at Tronchiennes, he returned to St Aloysius' College, 1907-21, during which time he was appointed rector in 1916 after the resignation of Patrick McCurtin. At this time he was a keen photographer, leaving several albums of photographs of classes, picnics on Middle Harbour and Lane Cove, dramatic groups and choirs. He had a great interest in choral work and 'glee clubs'. His skill as a teacher of handwriting even as an old man was a source of wonder to all who were tutored by him. He could write the 'Hail Mary' inside a small shell. Fountain pens and biros were 'an abomination of desolation'. The steel nib was the only permissible weapon. He was also a skilled carpenter and painter, and the bricks, which he laid in the junior yard towards the end of the First World War, were still good in 1964 before the bulldozers disturbed them for the new building. The Old Boys tell many stories of his prowess as a bowler and batsman and even in his late eighties he was a keen spectator of cricket and rugby. His favourite subject in the classroom was Latin. He spent some short time at both Riverview and Xavier College. He was headmaster at Burke Hall, 1924-5. From there he went to St Patrick's College until 1932, when he was appointed superior of Sevenhill until 1940. After a few years at the parish of Norwood he returned to St Aloysius' College in 1941 and stayed there until he died, teaching junior religion. By 1961 he had been a teacher for 50 years, and at his death, 73 years a Jesuit. Even in his old age he caught the 6.25 am tram to Lane Cove every morning to say Mass at St Joseph's Orphanage, taught his writing classes, typed his exhortations which he gave regularly and was most faithful to his Apostles of the Mass Sodality. In his earlier years he wrote a book on the Mass, In Memory of Me, and was often quoted as an authority on the Mass. Towards the end of his life he produced a commentary on the Anima Christi, which found its way around the world, even to Pope John XXIII. He was a man of the old school who scorned relaxation and concessions. Community duties were sacred even when he was a tottering old man. Until just before his death he was still giving the scholastics their renovation of vows, usually on the topics of poverty, obedience and devotion to Our Lady. He ultimately suffered a mild thrombosis during recreation after dinner on the feast of St Aloysius. He was in hospital for some time, and then went to St John of God Hospital, Richmond, where he lingered on for some months. He found confinement to a wheelchair very restrictive. He had two more strokes and died soon after. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

John

Middle Names:

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Forster

Order:

Date of Birth:

15-Sep-1870

Place of Birth:

Brunswick, Melbourne VIC

Country of Birth:

Australia

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

01-Jan-1964

Place of Death:

Sydney NSW

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

1964

Place of Burial:

Gore Hill NSW

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/306421910

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

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

Teacher; born Brunswick, Melbourne, 15 September 1870; died Sydney, 1 January 1964, aged 93.

John Forster was an Old Boy of St Patrick's College, East Melbourne, and was the first novice to enter the new Jesuit noviciate at Greenwich, 18 January 1891, after some years as an apprentice draughtsman with the Victorian railways. He completed his juniorate at Loyola College, Greenwich, before teaching at St Aloysius' College, Bourke St, and Riverview, 1894-1900. After philosophy studies at Vals, France, he returned for two more years of regency at the Crescent before theology studies at Milltown, 1903-06.

After tertianship at Tronchiennes, he returned to St Aloysius' College, 1907-21, during which time he was appointed rector in 1916 after the resignation of Patrick McCurtin. At this time he was a keen photographer, leaving several albums of photographs of classes, picnics on Middle Harbour and Lane Cove, dramatic groups and choirs. He had a great interest in choral work and 'glee clubs'. His skill as a teacher of handwriting even as an old man was a source of wonder to all who were tutored by him. He could write the 'Hail Mary' inside a small shell. Fountain pens and biros were 'an abomination of desolation'. The steel nib was the only permissible weapon.

He was also a skilled carpenter and painter, and the bricks, which he laid in the junior yard towards the end of the First World War, were still good in 1964 before the bulldozers disturbed them for the new building. The Old Boys tell many stories of his prowess as a bowler and batsman and even in his late eighties he was a keen spectator of cricket and rugby. His favourite subject in the classroom was Latin.

He spent some short time at both Riverview and Xavier College. He was headmaster at Burke Hall, 1924-5. From there he went to St Patrick's College until 1932, when he was appointed superior of Sevenhill until 1940. After a few years at the parish of Norwood he returned to St Aloysius' College in 1941 and stayed there until he died, teaching junior religion.

By 1961 he had been a teacher for 50 years, and at his death, 73 years a Jesuit. Even in his old age he caught the 6.25 am tram to Lane Cove every morning to say Mass at St Joseph's Orphanage, taught his writing classes, typed his exhortations which he gave regularly and was most faithful to his Apostles of the Mass Sodality.

In his earlier years he wrote a book on the Mass, In Memory of Me, and was often quoted as an authority on the Mass. Towards the end of his life he produced a commentary on the Anima Christi, which found its way around the world, even to Pope John XXIII.

He was a man of the old school who scorned relaxation and concessions. Community duties were sacred even when he was a tottering old man. Until just before his death he was still giving the scholastics their renovation of vows, usually on the topics of poverty, obedience and devotion to Our Lady. He ultimately suffered a mild thrombosis during recreation after dinner on the feast of St Aloysius. He was in hospital for some time, and then went to St John of God Hospital, Richmond, where he lingered on for some months. He found confinement to a wheelchair very restrictive. He had two more strokes and died soon after.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev John Forster SJ

Biographical Notes