Item 1367 - Br Josef Girschik SJ

Born: 20 March 1867, Hollenstein, Bohemia, Czech Republic or Hollenstein an der Ybbs, Austria
Entered: 03 October 1891, Sankt Andrä Austria - Austriaco-Hungaricae Province (ASR-HUN)
Final Vows: 02 February 1902
Died: 03 March 1930, Mater Hospital, Sydney Australia (St Aloysius College, Milson’s Point, Sydney, Australia)

Part of the St Aloysius College, Milson’s Point, Sydney, Australia community at the time of death

Transcribed ASR-HUN to HIB : 11 February 1901

Came to Irish Australian Mission 1899

◆ David Strong SJ “The Australian Dictionary of Jesuit Biography 1848-2015”, 2nd Edition, Halstead Press, Ultimo NSW, Australia, 2017 - ISBN : 9781925043280 :
He Entered the Society at Sankt Andrä Austria. He was a cabinet maker and used this skill to beautify houses where he was posted.

1891-1898 He remained at Sankt Andrä and then was sent to the Australian Mission and the Northern Territory.
1899-1902 He was sent to Loyola Greenwich
1902-1903 He was at Xavier College Kew
1903-1919 He was sent to St Ignatius College Riverview where he built the elaborate vesting press in the sacristy.
1919 He was sent to St Aloysius College Sydney and remained there until his death.

He won the admiration of many for his piety and quiet and silent efficiency. He was a real artist and perfectionist, and it was a pleasure to watch him work in the carpenter’s shop. He also had a keen appreciation of classical music and painting.

For many years he suffered ill health, but he continued to work as hard as he could until the end.

Note from Patrick Keating Entry
Under his direction, Brother Girschik made a line cedar vesting press for the sacristy at Riverview, which still stands.

Note from Edward Pigot Entry
One result of his visit to Samoa was the building and fittings for the instruments in the half-underground, vaulted, brick building at Riverview. Brs Forster and Girschik performed the work.

◆ Irish Province News
Irish Province News 5th Year No 3 1930
Obituary :

Br Joseph Girschik

March 20th 1867 is the date of Br. Girschick's birth. In 1891 he joined the Austrian Province. Two years before the final transfer of the South Australian Mission to the Irish Province in 1901,we find the Brother’s name in the Irish Catalogue. From 1899 to 1901 he was at Loyola, Sydney. Then, after a year at Xavier's. he went to Riverview where he remained till

1918. He was then changed to Milson's Point, and did not leave it until he went to his reward on Monday, 3rd March, 1930.
      Br. Girschick was a skilled carpenter, and is described in the Catalogue either as “Fab, Lig. or Arcularius”.

◆ The Aloysian, Sydney, 1930

Obituary

Brother Josef Girschik SJ

Far from the spot where he now lies awaiting the Resurrection, Joseph Girschik was born sixty-three years ago, in Czecho-Slovakia, or as it was then known, Bohemia.

As a young man of twenty-four, and already a skilled carpenter, Brother Girschik entered the Austrian Province of the Society of Jesus. A Catholic mission for the conversion of aboriginals of Australia had been entrusted to the Austrian Province, and the first missioners had arrived in Australia in December 1848, after a voyage of four months out of the port of Hamburg.

Seven years after his entry into the Society Bro Girschik was attached to this mission, but hardly had he arrived at the headquarters of the mission at Daly River, when a flood wrought such havoc that the missioners had to retire from their settlement.

Bro. Girschik was then transferred to “Loyola”, Greenwich, near Sydney, the Noviceship of the Irish Province in Australia, and when offered the opportunity of returning to his native land elected to give the remainder of his life to the ser vice of God in Australia.

From that time until 1919, he was stationed in various colleges in Australia. The last eleven years of his life he spent at St Aloysius College, and saw many generations of young Aloysians pass through the College.

Few of the many boys who saw Bro Girschik quietly at his obscure work in the carpenter's shop knew that they looked on a man who was an artist, with a keen appreciation and deep knowledge of classical music and painting. His beautiful work was an index to the man's character. For Bro Girschik was never content unless a piece of work was perfect.

This life of retirement concealed an admirable courage and self-sacrifice. For many years, he suffered from continued ill-health, but only weakness and failing strength caused him to lay aside his tools. Ordered by the doctor to the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, he spent there a few weeks, making light of his sufferings, and at last on the 30th March of this year went to receive his reward. RIP