Rev Joseph Fitzgerald SJ
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Joseph
Middle Names:
Preferred Name:
Surname:
Fitzgerald
Order:
SJ
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Richmond VIC
Country of Birth:
Australia
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:
Boroondara, Kew 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:
Fitzgerald, Joseph
Pastor; born Richmond, Victoria, 21 May 1899; died Melbourne, 28 November 1973, aged 74.
Joseph Fitzgerald was educated at the Richmond parish school and at CBC Parade, Victoria, before he entered the Society, 12 February 1918, at Loyola College, Greenwich. He went to Ireland and Tullamore, 1920-21 as a junior, to Rathfarnham as a university student, 1921-24, and did philosophy at Milltown Park, 1924-27.
He was sent to Australia and Xavier College for regency, 1928-31, as second prefect. He returned to Milltown Park for theology, 1931-35, and was sent to tertianship at St Beuno's, 1935-36. After a few years at Xavier College as first prefect and teacher, he began his long stay at the parish of Hawthorn, 1939-66 and 1971-73. His main work was the development and organisation of the Sodality for men, but he had many activities over the years. He was sometime minister, catechist, and in charge of various sodalities. He worked at Richmond, 1966-71.
He was a man full of enthusiasm, doing good work as a division prefect in the colleges, and as an organiser of sodalities. His men's Sodality was very popular and strongly controlled, but it did great work in parish visitations and in attendance at the monthly Mass. Fitzgerald was highly respected by the men of the parish, but he had little time for the women, believing that others could care for them.
(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)