Rev Stanislaus Gaidelis SJ
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Stanislaus
Middle Names:
Preferred Name:
Surname:
Gaidelis
Order:
SJ
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Skaista
Country of Birth:
Latvia
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Country of Ordination:
Ordination Diocese:
Seminary:
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Melbourne VIC
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Melbourne VIC
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Biographical Notes
Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Gaidelis, Stanislaus
Chaplain, pastor; born Skaista, Latvia, 28 July 1914; died Melbourne, 25 July 2002, aged 87.
Stanislaus Gaidelis, one of eight children, educated in Latvia, was Lithuanian with a sound knowledge of Polish and German language, history and culture. Above all, he presented as a happy and contented person. He had a great respect for everyone, a truly multicultural person.
He was 21 years of age and had some work experience before he entered the Society of Jesus, 17 July 1935, at Starawies, Poland. He was in the middle of his philosophy studies in Krakow when war erupted in 1939. Persecuted by the Russians, he finally returned to Riga where he finished his philosophy and began theology studies. He was ordained priest on 2 August 1944, and finished theology studies and tertianship at Pullach, Munich, 1944-48, escaping from the communist regime.
After working with Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish refugees in camps in Germany at the end of the war, Gaidelis volunteered to become chaplain to Latvians and Lithuanians in Australia from 1951, first based at the parish of North Sydney, 1951-68, and then from the parish at Hawthorn, Victoria, 1969-99.
Over these many years of devoted ministry, he visited his flock in other States of Australia, exhorting them to fidelity to the faith and the sacraments. He produced a newsletter that kept his people in touch with each other and with their homeland. He was, indeed, the father of his flock, baptising, catechising, blessing marriages and burying the dead. In all this, he was much loved and appreciated for his zeal, persistence, kindness, generosity and cheerfulness. He worked well with other migrant chaplains, and, for many years, invited all the different national communities to Saint Patrick's Cathedral for ecumenical liturgies and prayers.
When Latvia became free again from communist control, Gaidelis printed prayer books in the Latvian language and through Vienna and Poland sent them free of charge to Riga.
While caring and thoughtful of his flock, Gaidelis was not very practical, and frequently needed someone to help him with the exigencies of daily life. However, whatever the problems he encountered, his smile and gratitude for help given always disarmed any frustration of those around him.
As increasing sickness prevented an active ministry, he moved into retirement at Campion House in 1999, and finally died at Nazareth House, Camberwell.
(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)