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

Administrator, teacher: born Melbourne, 10 March 1935; died Melbourne, 20 May 2014; aged 79.

Julian Slatterie died suddenly of a heart attack. For the previous 18 months, he had repeated problems with broken bones – ankles, hip replacement, knee reconstruction and shoulder replacement after a fall. These required pins, stents, general anesthetics and rehabilitation, all of which weakened his heart. They also presaged a future of pain and immobility even if the operations were successful, and he survived the grueling regime of medical procedures in a relatively short space of time.

Slatterie received his early education at Burke Hall and Xavier College, Kew, before joining the Society at Loyola College, Watsonia, in 1954. His ecclesiastical studies were in Australia, except for tertianship, which was at St Beuno's, Wales. At the University of Melbourne he studied commerce, 1953, 1960 and 1962. During theology studies at Pymble, NSW, believing that Jesuits ought to be better qualified to teach and administer in Jesuit schools, he studied for diplomas of education and administration from the University of New England as an external student.

His regency was spread over three schools, one year at each St Patrick's College, East Melbourne; St Ignatius' College, Riverview; and St Aloysius' College, Milsons Point. After tertianship he was appointed to Riverview, 1970-74, where he was an efficient, competent and highly respected prefect of studies and senior Year master. He was later posted to Xavier College as a teacher in 1975, but was shortly after appointed headmaster of Burke Hall until 1980. For a few years he lived in the provincial residence when he was appointed province treasurer. Finding that he had time on his hands, he was also appointed headmaster of Kostka Hall until 1994. He moved to Xavier College, Kew, 1995, when a lay principal was appointed to Kostka Hall, continuing his work as treasurer until 2002, and as a member of a number of province boards: Jesuit Communications, Jesuit Social Services, Sevenhill Cellars, and St Ignatius' College, Athelstone, S.A. At Xavier he was chaplain to the Old Xaverians Association, and the Past Parents Association, as well as for some years the college's Occupational Health and Safety Director. In addition he celebrated very many Masses for the college community.

A Jesuit colleague, Michael Kelly, wrote the following tribute to Slatterie:

Julian was the antithesis of a self-promoter. However, his contribution to apostolic effectiveness – through his management and oversight of the Jesuits' finances, investments and expenditures on various initiatives, some of which he had well founded doubts about – might not be widely known and appreciated for the indispensable contribution it made to their success.

Coming from a family whose professional expertise was in insurance, Julian was very adept with finance. For over two decades, Julian was the Jesuits' treasurer. He managed the stocks and shares, property purchases and disposals, building and construction projects that occurred regularly; he provided the funds for a fast changing Jesuit world of diminished Australian manpower and an aging workforce of Jesuits in the province, for the training of what recruits the province had, and for the training of the burgeoning number of young Jesuits in Asia, some of whom came to Australia for their studies; he created the financial resources that provided aged care facilities in the province where now two thirds of the province is over 60.

Essential as this work was for the province in numerical decline, whose financial implication he understood well, there was another contribution he made by not allowing the facts of history to see the Jesuits just disappear. He made an indispensable contribution as the 'patient banker' for most of the province's enterprising initiatives from the 1980's on. While always insisting that apostolates had to become self-supporting as soon as they could, it was Julian who provided the cash flow and budgetary advice until they could.

For more than 20 years, Julian contributed to the governance and financial underpinning of both Jesuit Social Services and Jesuit Communications. This was because he carried the province's interest in fostering these innovative initiatives. While no one would see him as an innovator, he was convinced that the only use for money was to do good. He wanted what he was principally responsible for, generating profit through his management of Province investments to be put to good use in making a difference to people's lives. He wanted it spent responsibly. But he wanted what he knew more about than most Jesuits – money – to serve a missionary purpose….

What was probably the biggest risk of all – what became Church Resources – owes its existence to Julian's involvement as an advisor and initial investor. Today, as it has for the last 15 years, Church Resources turns over hundreds of millions of dollar in the sale of commodities at discounted rates for Church institutions which are needed by the institutions - schools and parishes, hospitals and aged care facilities, welfare services and accommodation sites. And it has a record of innovation in its introduction of the web and digital communication to many areas of the Church.

When it was just a good idea, Julian chaired the Board exploring the idea and financing its exploratory, risk laden early phase. To its establishment and thriving, he made a key contribution.

Despite his apparent haughtiness, a witty and at time self-mocking quip was never far from Julian's lips. His was grounded, honest, and had an utterly realistic sense of himself, the Jesuits, the world and of God. Though bored frequently during his annual eight-day retreat, his unadorned faith was at the core of his being, and was demonstrated in his attentive and patient service to others. It was a faith that sustained him through the pain and physical infirmities of the last 18 months…

His patrician, world-weary style was used to great effect as a disciplinary device with boys, but also more widely in life. It masked his essential shyness. But it couldn't hide what a thoroughly professional, perceptive, loyal and faith-filled person he was in his responsiveness to all this Jesuit life asked of him.

The rector of Xavier at the time of his death, Tom Renshaw, appreciated Slatterie's daily 'wisdom, insight, encouragement, support and advice…'. He was a true friend to many generations within the wider Xavier community.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)