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

Writer, teacher, editor, ecumenist; born Mansfield, Victoria, 8 June 1917; died Melbourne, 12 February 2000, aged 82.

William Smith is best remembered for his considerable contribution to the social ministry of the Church, expressed in his tireless writing and lecturing. In all his work he never sought publicity for his work, and never engaged in self-advertisement. For more than 40 years he was a great advocate and active promoter of social justice.

As an only child, Smith grew up in country Victoria. At the onset of the Depression his father moved the family to the city, enabling his son to receive an education from the Christian Brothers at Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, and St Kevin's College, Toorak, in 1932. After school he worked for a time in the Commonwealth Public Service.

He joined the Society of Jesus, 25 May 1937, at Loyola College, Watsonia, where he studied Latin, Greek and English before studying philosophy for three years. In 1945 he obtained an honours Arts degree from the University of Melbourne with first place in English. Teaching at Xavier College, Burke Hall, followed until the end of 1948, when he moved to Canisius College, Pymble, for four years of theological studies. He was ordained in Sydney, 3 January 1952, and completed tertianship at Sevenhill, 1953.

Smith gained a doctorate in the social sciences from the Gregorian University, Rome, 1954-56, returning to Melbourne in late 1956 to become director of the Institute of Social Order at Belloc House, Kew. This office also involved him with education and chaplaincy to the Catholic Social Movement. After 1957 these services were extended to National Civic Council members. He was also editor of Social Survey, ISOs monthly journal on current social issues, and Twentieth Century, its quarterly journal of social, cultural and literary commentary. Smith's own articles were a clear, terse exposition of the subject, relating social teaching to the realities of local social life. His writings on the Second Vatican Council were widely appreciated by lay social activists among his readers. Smith also undertook chaplaincy work with trade union groups well into the 1970s.

The director of Belloc House had organised Christian Social Weeks, and Smith directed seven of them, 1957-63. This series was an attempt to engage the Church and secular society in dialogue on some important issues facing Australian society. Prominent speakers were chosen for these occasions, including Sir Zelman Cohen and Sir William Deane. These series of lectures were designed to encourage ecumenical dialogue across the Christian churches and later with the Jewish community, and was aimed at developing cooperative engagement in some of the major social issues affecting Australia.

Smith's ecumenical work included the Interchurch Trade and Industry Mission, and the Jewish community as a member of the Council of Christians and Jews. His work with the Jews enabled him to become involved with causes of international justice and reconciliation. He made a special study of Arab-Jewish relations, and in his writings sought to promote a wider understanding of the issues involved in the conflicts in that part of the world. At the time of his death, Jewish colleagues praised his scholarship and wise counsel, and passion in 'promoting harmonious relationships between all ethnic and religious groups based on true understanding and respect'.

He was also instrumental, in 1966, in the establishment of the Pacific Institute, a forum to foster regional co-operation on common political and economic issues among Christians in leadership positions in countries to the north of Australia. Conferences were held in Manila, Hong Kong, Saigon, Singapore and Jakarta. Smith agreed to edit the Institute's monthly newsletter, Pacific News.

In 1965 the Archbishop of Rabaul asked Smith for assistance in developing a programme to train potential leaders for their role in post-independent Papua New Guinea. The Institute of Social Order at Port Moresby, directed by Fathers Philip Kurts and Ian Dillon, resulted. Smith took an active part in this Institute, giving lectures, and hosting groups from New Guinea at Belloc House.

Smith travelled frequently to South Vietnam during the war years, and reported back to Australia on the interests of justice for the people of that troubled country. He later took up the cause of the refugees who came from Vietnam and neighbouring countries of the region.

For nearly 20 years Smith lectured on social ethics and Catholic social teaching to trainee teachers at the Teachers' Training College, Ascot Vale, and at Aquinas College, Ballarat. In addition, he taught classes in social questions and social ethics to secondary school students, notably at Genazzano, and was a regular speaker at meetings of the Social Questions Committee of the Catholic Women's League of Victoria and Wagga.

Throughout all these years he maintained his spiritual ministry. For nearly four decades he was spiritual guide to the Faithful Companions of Jesus sisters at Genazzano and chaplain to the girls.

From 1990, when Belloc House was sold, Smith became resident at Xavier College for three years, and at Campion House from 1994. He continued to edit Social Survey until his health declined. For the last year of his life, he lived at the Little Sisters of the Poor, Northcote.

One very important aspect of Smith's life was his close friendship with the Santamaria family, and for more than forty years he was a confident of Bob Santamaria, being involved with the work of the National Civic Council, an organisation that pursued a vision for a better Australia.

To the outsider, Smith might have appeared as aloof, a man of few words with not much small talk. To those who knew him well, he was a self-effacing man, shy and humble, kind, warm-hearted and tolerant, with a liberal temperament, especially given to encourage the young. He had a deep but not effusive spirituality, was a man of the Church, an outstanding editor, teacher, analyst of social principles and activities in Australian and Asian affairs. He was a reflective Jesuit, very well read and well informed, up-to-date, balanced and forward thinking. He made wise judgments, worked hard, was a good manager, and was efficient and very competitive. He was not a good listener, except to experts, and rarely sought advice. He liked to dominate women and fought for what he wanted.

Many will remember his devotion to training lay people for their role as social activists, a work carried out unobtrusively yet effectively. He was experienced by close colleagues in the Jewish community as 'a valued friend, the perfect gentleman' who 'exuded a charming serenity' in his 'unswerving commitment' to the Jewish cause.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)