Item 987 - Fr John Byrne SJ

Born: 29 February 1912, Gunnedah, NSW, Australia
Entered: 06 February 1931, Loyola Greenwich Road, Greenwich, Sydney NSW, Australia (HIB)
Ordained: 08 January 1944, St Mary’s Cathedral, St Mary’s Road, Sydney, Australia
Final Vows: 15 August 1947
Died: 23 December 1974, St Vincent's Hospital Darlinghurst, Sydney, Australia - Australiae Province (ASL)

Part of the Burke Hall SJ, Studley Park Road, Kew, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia community at the time of death

Transcribed HIB to ASL : 05 April 1931

1931-1933: Loyola, Greenwich Road, Greenwich, Sydney NSW, Australia (HIB), Novitiate (ASL from April 1931)
1933-1937: Loyola College, Grimshaw Street, Watsonia, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (ASL), Rhetoric, then Philosophy
1937-1940: Xavier College SJ, Barkers Road, Kew, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Regency
1940-1944: Canisius College, Pittwater Road, Pymble, NSW, Australia, Theology
1944-1945: Xavier College, Kew, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Teaching
1945-1946: Loyola College, Grimshaw Street, Watsonia, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Tertianship
1946-1949: Xavier College SJ, Barkers Road, Kew, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Teaching
1949-1950: St Patrick’s College SJ, Cathedral Place, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Teaching

◆ David Strong SJ “The Australian Dictionary of Jesuit Biography 1848-2015”, 2nd Edition, Halstead Press, Ultimo NSW, Australia, 2017 - ISBN : 9781925043280 :
He was the youngest of three children and his mother died when he was ten months old. His father remarried and place his three children in an orphanage. The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, cared for him at St Anthony's, Kew 1916-1926. In 1926 he was given a scholarship to St Ignatius College Riverview and then entered the Society in 1931, influenced by William Lockington.

1931-1937 After First Vows he remained at Loyola Greenwich for a Juniorate which he continued at Loyola Watsonia, studying English, Greek, Latin and Mathematics. Hen then studied Philosophy, during which time his sister drowned, and perhaps not accidentally.
1938-1940 He was sent for regency to Xavier College Kew,
1941-1944 He studied Theology at Canisius College Pymble and was Ordained 1944.
1945-1946 He returned to Xavier College
1946-1947 He made Tertianship under John Fahy at Loyola Watsonia
1947-1949 He returned to Xavier College, mainly teach Mathematics and being assistant Prefect of Studies
1949-1962 He was sent to St Patrick’s College Melbourne, teaching Senior Mathematics. He was also Minister and Librarian at various times.
1962-1966 He was at St Ignatius College Riverview teaching Religion, Mathematics and Greek, and also editing “Our Alma Mater” (1964-1966)
1966-1973 He was sent to Burke Hall Kew, teaching Latin and Religion, and was also Prefect of Studies in 1972, his last year there.

He returned in 1973 and was made Superior of the Provincial Residence and secretary to the Provincial. However, early in 1974 his health began to deteriorate and a tumour on the brain was discovered. He died at St Vincent’s Hospital after about six months