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

University chaplain, pastor; born Galway, Ireland, 3 May 1910; died Sydney, 11 May 1980, aged 70.

Jerry Golden began his early schooling in Galway and then in Cork until the age of 12 years when his father came to Sydney. His further education was with the Marist Brothers, Darlinghurst and the Jesuits at Riverview. He entered the Society at Loyola College, Greenwich, 4 February 1929. After taking vows he was sent to University College, Dublin, where he took a degree in history and economics with honours. He next studied philosophy in Jersey. Here, his French colleagues appreciated his ready humour.

During 1936-37 at the Institute Catholique, Paris, Golden spent nine months in a Paris hospital recovering from a leg injury that became gangrene. This affected him deeply, and was the watershed of his life. He returned to Ireland for his theological studies at Milltown Park, 1937-40. Tertianship was at Rathfarnham, Dublin, after which he returned to Australia.

Golden's first ministry was at St Mary's, North Sydney, 1943-48. Then he began a ministry as university chaplain, for which he became an icon. He was sent to Newman College in 1950 and remained there until 1966.

When he arrived at the University of Melbourne, most Catholic undergraduates went their own way, but the Newman Society of Victoria used to meet in the basement of the Central Catholic Library. This was a time of Catholic apologetics, of the defense of the Catholic faith.

At Newman College, Golden set about building up a sense of solidarity between the students at Newman College and the members of the Newman Society. A new era of student involvement in the life of the Church began. It was a movement both spiritual and intellectual and assumed the title of 'the intellectual apostolate'. He acted as a catalyst among the students, stimulating discussion and encouraging greater Church involvement. Students began reflecting on the question of religious meaning, the ultimate orientation of their studies, and even questions about the nature of the university itself. The Newman Society was opposed to Bob Santamaria's Movement, but the issues were never discussed.

Student formation involved Summer Camps held at Point Lonsdale, when the university 'freshers' were initiated into the spirit of the Newman Society, and of Winter Camps where the process was taken further. Topics discussed were major issues of Church, politics of the day and life of the university. Golden's gift in this process was his presence and encouragement, and ability to enthuse students into organising themselves. He never gave a sustained talk, but was active in discussions.

During the academic year faculty groups developed, some 150 students being organised into discussion circles which would meet in the seminar rooms of the Kenny building. Lunch-hour lectures were held at the university, and a weekly Mass in the mathematics hall of the Old Arts Building was well attended in the early years. Much of Golden's own time was taken up with individual counseling of students.

In this work his students experienced him as positive, affirming, optimistic and very intuitive. He was patient and a good listener, wise, humorous, self-effacing, and apostolic. He was a welcoming man with an engaging smile, and always seemed relaxed. He was no revolutionary, but in practice was radical and risky as he sought to build leadership in others. He spoke openly about the distinction between lay and clerical spirituality, and gave students a glimpse of 'the New Jerusalem'.

He did not go out to the university as such, but encouraged students to join university activities as well as to engage in social works. Students sold Catholic pamphlets outside the student union.

By the 1960s society changed, and students began to lose their interest in searching together for eternal truth. It was an age of greater individualism, and Golden had more time to himself. Students were not coming to him in good numbers.

Reflecting upon these days, Golden decided it was time to take a sabbatical in Cambridge in 1966, where he experienced life in the chaplaincy. He later returned to Adelaide where he took up residence at Aquinas College and was chaplain to the Teachers' College.

From 1970 he returned to St Mary's, North Sydney, where he set up youth groups, and became well knows for his opposition to renovations to the church. He was traditional in his views of church architecture.

Then followed time in the parish of Avalon Beach, 1977-78, where he enjoyed the friendship of the local surfing community. During these years he spent short time in the parishes of Waterloo and Redfern.

In 1979 he received appointment as chaplain to the Catholic College of Education at Castle Hill in NSW. There he became ill, was taken to hospital, and died quite suddenly.

Golden was slightly gruff, good-humoured and sagacious. He was resilient, versatile and adaptable. Above all he was truly charismatic, especially in human relationships. This gave him a special influence with young people, male and female. His enjoyment in playing tennis, golf and table tennis sustained his relationship with friends. He was a strong support to needy members of his family.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)