Brother John May SJ
In honouring Brother John May we pay tribute to all the Jesuit Brothers who preceded him as winemakers at Sevenhill, the birth place of the Society of Jesus in Australia. They are honoured not simply as winemakers but as Jesuits who helped to build that Mission for the good of the church.
John grew up in a family involved in the North Sydney parish. He became a carpenter and discerned that he could ‘consecrate the work of his hands’ through being a Jesuit brother. He entered the Society of Jesus at Watsonia in 1949. There were several brothers in the Loyola community and John worked with them in a variety of ways, including building the Mission office at Power Street. He was assigned to the Sevenhill community from 1963 to 1969 until he returned to Watsonia as minister with responsibility for the brother novices.
When Brother John Hanlon, the winemaker at Sevenhill, died suddenly in Feb 1972, John was transferred back to Sevenhill. This was seen as an interim measure as consideration was being given to relinquishing the Sevenhill work. John stayed up throughout one night to write to the Provincial making a case for Sevenhill and how it might be continued. The Provincial offered John the opportunity to prove the Mission could be maintained. To the skills of carpenter, cook, welder, tiler, and so on, John now learnt the craft of winemaker. He drew on the expertise of others in the Clare Valley, with whom he became good friends, especially the late Jim Barry.
The Sevenhill enterprise is dear to John’s heart, and his commitment is obvious to all. John has dedicated himself to the Sevenhill ministry, while at the same time mastering the complexity of technical skills required to promote and develop the winery. He has cherished the winery, the Church with its unique Crypt and the cemetery out of respect and reverence for those who have gone before him. With the aid of a Board, the winery is a flourishing business, and Sevenhill attracts 40,000 to 50,000 visitors a year. It is the oldest cellar in the Clare Valley, and the Church has become an icon for the Valley, just as John May is for many of the people in the Valley. In 2006 John was called upon again to assume the duties of General Manager of the winery and to induct a new winemaker.
He has received recognition in all sorts of ways and in the Jubilee Year the Australian Province thanks John not simply for his many accomplishments, but for his life of dedication as a Jesuit brother. It is a vocation essential to his existence. The wine of Sevenhill is geared towards the Eucharist, just as Sevenhill was and is geared to building up the Church. In presenting the Jubilee Medal we thank John May for his vision, dedication, and religious fidelity. We honour him for the outstanding commitment he has made to the Province.
‘Blessed are you, Lord God of all Creation, through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands’.
Fr John Begley SJ
John Begley, who entered the Jesuits 67 years ago and has been a priest since 1952, has served in almost all the ministries of the Province. He has given skilled and generous attention to pastoral ministry, secondary and tertiary education, the formation of diocesan priests and of Jesuits, to Province administration, publications and overseas missions.
Although he might have preferred to study theology, John was asked to go overseas to do post graduate studies in philosophy. He then lectured at Werribee (where he fostered a notable enthusiasm for academic studies), Watsonia (where he was the last Rector of the Philosophate), Campion College, Jesuit Theological College, Yarra Theological Union, Corpus Christi Clayton (where he served a term as Master, available at the door each morning while lecturers and students entered for classes) and finally at Catholic Theological College. Honouring his significant contribution to the education of generations of diocesan priests, he was appointed an Honorary Fellow of Catholic Theological College, where he still gives lectures in philosophy. Now he is resident at Jesuit Theological College, assisting the overseas students, and constantly at the service of all.
John’s capacity to take notes and his eye for detail led him to be appointed secretary of almost every commission and congregation of which he has been a member. His notes, often in Latin, have remained a permanent record of their proceedings. He was a key member of the Province’s ‘Review and Planning’ commission in the 1980s, and a Province delegate to the 32nd General Congregation in 1974.
In recent years John has edited the Fortnightly Report and Jesuit Life. He has assiduously ensured that Jesuits living overseas received regular copies of these and in addition, through thoughtful letters, he helped those at a distance to retain contact with the Province. His editorship roles contribute greatly to the preservation of the historical record of the Province. He has personally written more than 60 articles for Jesuit Life.
John is much loved and respected amongst the scholastics at Jesuit Theological College, where his sagacity and gentle kindness continue to give the positive direction he has offered for generations of students. In particular he is always available for the overseas students to assist them in putting their essays into good English.
John’s competence, charity and humility continue to inspire many. For these reasons we wish to acknowledge him as a much loved companion in this Jubilee Year of the First Companions.