SHOWING THE WAY TO GOD
By Fr Peter Hosking SJ, Rector, Saint Ignatius’ College Adelaide
Beginnings in South Australia
The Jesuit story in Australia began in 1848, exactly 177 years ago today, when two young Austrian priests — Fr Aloysius Kranewitter and Fr Maximilian Klinkowstroem — arrived in South Australia. They had been invited to join Franz Weikert, a prominent Silesian farmer who was seeking religious freedom, as he and his family led a group of 146 Catholic refugees on the long voyage to Australia. They faced tough conditions and language barriers but responded to people’s needs with courage and compassion. Their mission laid the foundation for Jesuit life in Australia.
Sevenhill: A heartland of mission
Settling in Sevenhill in the Clare Valley, the Jesuits built a vibrant centre for education, spiritual formation and pastoral care. They opened the colony’s first Catholic boarding school and seminary, and travelled long distances on horseback to support isolated communities, eventually building more than 30 churches. Their work extended to north-eastern Adelaide and Norwood parish, where Jesuits like Fr Joseph Tappeiner and Fr Johannes Hinteroecker supported Mary MacKillop, Australia’s first canonised saint.
The coming of the Irish Jesuits
In 1865, Irish Jesuits arrived in Melbourne to serve the growing Irish Catholic population. Led by Fr Joseph Dalton, they revitalised parishes and schools, transforming St Patrick’s College and founding Xavier College in Melbourne, Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview and St Aloysius’ College in Sydney, as well as initiatives in New Zealand. The work also expanded into parishes in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and Sydney’s north.
Mission in the Northern Territory
In 1883, Austrian Jesuits ventured into the Northern Territory to serve Indigenous communities. They learned local languages and tried to build self-sustaining communities. Though the mission closed in 1899, their respectful approach left a lasting legacy in the Province. Donald MacKillop, Mary MacKillop’s brother, was among those Jesuits who championed Aboriginal rights.
Growth in the 20th Century
The Jesuits continued to grow. In 1918, they founded Newman College at the University of Melbourne, offering a Catholic presence in academia. From 1923 they trained diocesan priests in Victoria. New parishes and schools opened in Brisbane and Perth, and formation houses were established in Melbourne and Sydney. By the 1930s, the Australian Jesuits became a vice-province with 200 members, transitioning from the Irish Province.
In 1951, the Australian Province was officially formed, with Fr Austin Kelly as its first Provincial. The same year, Saint Ignatius’ College in Norwood opened, and a new overseas mission began in Hazaribagh, India. Over the next 20 years, more than 40 Australian Jesuits served in India, building strong bonds of friendship and faith.
Responding to changing needs
The 1950s, ’60s and ’70s saw further expansion. Jesuits were entrusted with university colleges in Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Hobart. They ministered to migrant communities—Polish, Italian, Spanish, Maltese, Vietnamese — and reached out to university students, Indigenous Australians, prisoners, and refugees. Large numbers entered religious life in these years. By the mid-1960s, the Province had 400 members, including those in India and 100 in formation. Though numbers have since declined, the mission remains deeply grounded.
Expanding Ministries and social engagement
From the 1970s onward, Jesuits — together with lay companions — launched diverse ministries grounded in faith, justice, and intellectual engagement. The Jesuit Theological College in Parkville became a hub for ecumenical dialogue, scholarship, and ministry formation. Asian Bureau Australia advanced social analysis and global development, while Xavier House in Canberra supported intellectual and creative work.
Jesuit Mission Australia extended its outreach to Cambodia, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste, strengthening global solidarity. Jesuit Social Services (JSS), which began as a halfway house for young offenders, grew into a national network supporting marginalised youth, ex-offenders, people with disabilities, and Indigenous Australians. Programs such as the Brosnan Centre and Connexions provided pathways to hope, dignity, and belonging.
Retreat centres in Sevenhill, Pymble, Campion, and Norwood offered spaces for spiritual renewal and reflection. Jesuit Communications animated communities through print and digital media. Uniya and Jesuit Refugee Service Australia helped shape national conversations and policy reform on justice and inclusion, particularly for First Nations peoples and asylum seekers. Many worked directly with Indigenous communities and in refugee camps, contributing to accompaniment and advocacy.
Youth formation and Companion schools
Youth-focused initiatives such as MAGiS and The Cardoner Network encouraged young adults to embrace Ignatian values through service, reflection, and community engagement. During this period, new schools were established in Salisbury, St Albans, and Mount Druitt, while Redfern Jarjum College was founded to support First Nations education. In 1997, Xavier College appointed its first lay principal, signalling a significant shift toward shared leadership in Jesuit education.
Partnerships with Catholic education offices deepened, and collaboration with companion schools across Australia and New Zealand led to the formation of Jesuit and Companion Schools Australasia. Today, these include John XXIII College (Perth), Loyola College (Watsonia), Saint Ignatius College (Geelong), St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College (Auckland), Xavier Catholic College (Ballina), and Xavier Catholic College (Hervey Bay), fostering a network committed to Ignatian pedagogy and values.
Governance and the future
Even as some parishes were returned and retreat centres closed, the mission evolved. New governance models — like Jesuit Education Australasia (JEA) and the Society of Jesus in Australia Ltd — empowered lay leaders also to carry the mission forward.
The Universal Apostolic Preferences, announced by Fr General Arturo Sosa SJ, now guide the Province’s mission: walking with the excluded, journeying with youth, caring for our common home, and deepening our life with God.
A mission that endures
From remote bush communities to bustling cities, from schools to refugee camps, from Timor-Leste to Mount Druitt, the Jesuits in Australia continue to serve with generosity, courage, and hope.
Today, the Province embodies a spirit of collaboration and outward engagement, grounded in deep hope and faith. With lay companions joining Jesuits in leadership, the Society continues to move toward the frontiers—where faith and justice intersect, where the excluded are welcomed, and where God is discovered in all things. Our Ignatian identity strengthens us, grounded in a shared purpose, a rich and diverse history, and a spirituality that inspires mission.
Banner image of the Chapel of the Sacred Heart in St Aloysius’ Church in Sevenhill, the first Jesuit site in Australia. The church has served the Parish of Sevenhill since its completion in 1875. Photo: David McMahon