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

Teacher, administrator, retreat director, pastor; born Mallow, Ireland, 7 November 1910; died Brisbane, Queensland, 29 August 1993, aged 82.

Con Finn received his secondary education at Mungret College, near Limerick, and he lived at the apostolic school nearby where boys interested in the priesthood resided while attending Mungret.

He entered the Society, 1 September 1928, at Tullamore. His juniorate studies were at Rathfarnham Castle in Dublin, 1930-33, from which he attended the National University of Ireland, majoring in English and Latin. Philosophy followed overseas and Finn spent three years at the Jesuit house of studies in Louvain. Here he learned French and some Flemish.

Immediately after philosophy he was sent to theology at Innsbruck where he learned German and made the acquaintance of Karl Rahner. As these years were leading to the Second World War, Finn was recalled to Ireland in 1938, and was ordained at Milltown Park, 31 July 1939. After theology he did tertianship at Rathfarnham under Henry Keane, the former English provincial.

He spent 1942 in Liverpool doing parish work and awaiting a ship to Australia. The trip, when it eventuated, was dangerous, dodging German submarines, but he and his fellow Jesuits arrived safely.

At the beginning of 1943 he was appointed minister of juniors at Loyola College, Watsonia, and he remained at this work for seven years. He was liked by the scholastics for his youth, only 33 years of age, full of bright ideas and encouragement. He taught English, Latin, and French. Finn was a great raconteur and rarely lost for a word. At this time he was also engaged in giving retreats to many groups that passed through Loyola College. He gave retreats to religious men and women throughout his life. His cheerful presentation of the spiritual life had wide appeal.

Among his innovations in the juniorate was the introduction of a course in education (called pedagogy) to prepare scholastics for regency. To prepare himself for this course, he studied for a diploma of education at the University of Melbourne, which included a six-week teaching period at Geelong Grammar School. He also conducted a 'Summer School' on education, inviting various experts to address the scholastics.

The next period of Finn's life was with university colleges. In 1949 he had started on a MA at the University of Melbourne on the influence of the Spiritual Exercises on the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins. However, his transfer to Newman College as dean of students during the year left him no time to complete his degree.

At the beginning of 1950 he was appointed rector of Aquinas College, Adelaide, and expected to develop the college. A stately home was purchased in North Adelaide and a new residential wing erected. By 1952 Aquinas had 40 resident students and 50 non-residents. During this time he also tutored students in French, English, Latin and philosophy, as well as carrying out chaplain duties. At the end of that year, Finn suffered a breakdown and was given a rest.

However, by 1953, he was considered to have recovered his health sufficiently to become founding rector of St Thomas More College, Perth. During 1954 he was expected to find money for the new buildings that were slow to eventuate. Meanwhile, Archbishop Prendiville asked Finn to take over a new parish at Attadale where land had been donated for a Jesuit school. He supervised the building of a parish school, St Joseph Pignatelli. In 1955 he was relieved of his parish duties by Leo Flynn and devoted his time to the university college, due to open in early March.

While unable to effect influence on the grand design of the college, Finn saw to the finer details such as the stained glass windows in the chapel, the work of the Irish artist Richard King. He gave the college its motto, 'God's Servant First', chose the first students and welded them into a community.

He was a very energetic chaplain to the Newman Society, holding the annual UCFA conference in 1958 - the first time for Perth. For some years he conducted 'The Catholic Answer' programme on the radio, and continued to be in demand for sermons and retreats. He spent six years at this work and then in 1960 returned to Loyola College, Watsonia, somewhat tired, to resume his previous work as minister to the scholastics and retreat giver.

The next eight years were spent moving between Watsonia and Campion College. From 1960-63 he taught at Loyola College and organised the retreat house. In 1964 he went to Campion as spiritual father. In 1965 he went back at Watsonia, until 1967 when he returned to Campion. In 1968 he was appointed superior for a year to a new community for university scholastics at the Dominican house of studies, Canberra.

In 1969 Finn began his long association with Corpus Christi College, Werribee and Clayton, Victoria. It was to last 17 years. He did what he had usually done, taught English together with liturgy and scripture, and gave spiritual direction and retreats.

Between the end of Werribee and the establishment of Clayton, Finn was given a sabbatical year in 1972 taking courses in San Francisco, Glasgow, Ireland and Rome. He was preparing for a position in the Catholic Education Office in Sydney, helping teachers with catechetics. He took up this position in 1973, residing at St John's College.

Finn's work at Clayton began in 1974, the first years as spiritual director, and then as moderator of the second year students. This role also involved tutoring. Students experienced him as quiet, even diffident, but sincere with integrity and deep spirituality.

After retirement in 1986, his health and confidence deteriorated, but after a year at St Thomas More College, and at the parish of Hawthorn, he spent his last four years at Toowong, where the climate was more suitable. He would return to Hawthorn and Queenscliff during the more oppressive Brisbane summer months.

Finn was remembered for his Irish wit, his friendliness, his kindness, his wisdom and gentleness as a spiritual director, his 'marketing' of the discernment of spirits, his preaching and his zeal in promoting vocations to the Society. He was a man of many talents, but very humble in his recognition of them.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)