Joseph Polk | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev Joseph Polk SJ Title: Rev First Name: Joseph Middle Names: Preferred Name: Surname: Polk Order: SJ Date of Birth: 18-Mar-1820 Place of Birth: Country of Birth: Austria Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 03-Feb-1914 Place of Death: Sevenhill SA Country of Death: Australia Date of Burial: 1914 Place of Burial: Sevenhill SA Country of Burial: Australia Find A Grave URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/191706853 FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr Frank Cresp, Good and Faithful Servants: Recalling the Spirit of the Deceased Priests of the Diocese of Port Augusta and Port Pirie 1888-2008, 2008: Polk, Joseph, SJ Born: 18/3/1820 in Austria. Joined the Jesuits in 1839. After ordination he worked for German migrants in USA until 1860. Arrived at Sevenhill 6/9/1861. He spent two periods in Manoora from where he journeyed to various places in the Port Augusta Diocese. Died: 3/2/1914 at Sevenhill. Aged 93. "A great strength to the mission for 50 years." Jesuit Records. (Reproduced with the approval of Sister Mary Cresp RSM) --- Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Polk, Josef Missionary, pastor; born Austria, 18 March 1820; died Sevenhill, 3 February 1914, aged 93. Joseph Polk entered the noviciate of the Gallician province at Gratz, in Styria, 16 August 1839; ten years after the province had opened its first house on Austrian soil on 4 May. Polk worked and studied at Gratz, Linz and Innsbruck until 1848, the year of the revolution, and the dispersion of the Austrian province, which had been formed only in 1846, and to which he had been transferred. He was ordained early and sent to work among the German Catholics in the Maryland province, USA, remaining there until 1860. In 1861 Polk returned to Europe and was for a short time minister at the college in Linz, and was then sent on the South Australian mission, arriving at Sevenhill on 6 September 1861. He joined the staff of St Aloysius' College, Sevenhill, and worked in the church, preaching in both English and German. In 1863 he was appointed superior of the mission. While superior, he continued to teach, preach and give missions and retreats. In 1865 he was called to Melbourne to consult with the bishop as to the foundation of a college of the Society there. It was decided to ask the Irish Jesuits. In 1870 he went to the Norwood parish, founded the year before. Then Polk went to Manoora as superior of the new residence. In 1877 he returned to Sevenhill, and back to Manoora until 1887, when he returned to Sevenhill as minister, and remained for the rest of his life. Polk stayed on in Australia after the amalgamation of the missions. He was a man of iron constitution and strong physical build, a strict disciplinarian, full of zeal and solid piety, an exemplary religious, and a great strength to the mission for 50 years. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

Joseph

Middle Names:

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Polk

Order:

Date of Birth:

18-Mar-1820

Place of Birth:

Country of Birth:

Austria

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

03-Feb-1914

Place of Death:

Sevenhill SA

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

1914

Place of Burial:

Sevenhill SA

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/191706853

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

Fr Frank Cresp, Good and Faithful Servants: Recalling the Spirit of the Deceased Priests of the Diocese of Port Augusta and Port Pirie 1888-2008, 2008:
Polk, Joseph, SJ

Born: 18/3/1820 in Austria.
Joined the Jesuits in 1839. After ordination he worked for German migrants in USA until 1860. Arrived at Sevenhill 6/9/1861. He spent two periods in Manoora from where he journeyed to various places in the Port Augusta Diocese.
Died: 3/2/1914 at Sevenhill. Aged 93.
"A great strength to the mission for 50 years." Jesuit Records.

(Reproduced with the approval of Sister Mary Cresp RSM)

---

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

Missionary, pastor; born Austria, 18 March 1820; died Sevenhill, 3 February 1914, aged 93.

Joseph Polk entered the noviciate of the Gallician province at Gratz, in Styria, 16 August 1839; ten years after the province had opened its first house on Austrian soil on 4 May. Polk worked and studied at Gratz, Linz and Innsbruck until 1848, the year of the revolution, and the dispersion of the Austrian province, which had been formed only in 1846, and to which he had been transferred. He was ordained early and sent to work among the German Catholics in the Maryland province, USA, remaining there until 1860.

In 1861 Polk returned to Europe and was for a short time minister at the college in Linz, and was then sent on the South Australian mission, arriving at Sevenhill on 6 September 1861.

He joined the staff of St Aloysius' College, Sevenhill, and worked in the church, preaching in both English and German. In 1863 he was appointed superior of the mission. While superior, he continued to teach, preach and give missions and retreats. In 1865 he was called to Melbourne to consult with the bishop as to the foundation of a college of the Society there. It was decided to ask the Irish Jesuits.

In 1870 he went to the Norwood parish, founded the year before. Then Polk went to Manoora as superior of the new residence. In 1877 he returned to Sevenhill, and back to Manoora until 1887, when he returned to Sevenhill as minister, and remained for the rest of his life.

Polk stayed on in Australia after the amalgamation of the missions. He was a man of iron constitution and strong physical build, a strict disciplinarian, full of zeal and solid piety, an exemplary religious, and a great strength to the mission for 50 years.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev Joseph Polk SJ

Biographical Notes