Item 383 - Mr Gordon Henry Rorke SJ

Born: 12 July 1888, Walker Street, North Sydney, Australia
Entered: 01 April 1908, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly
Died: 11 June 1919, Xavier College, Kew, Melbourne, Australia

Father was a medical doctor the son of Andrew Rorke of Dublin, who arrived in Australia from South America in 1873. He married Josephine Silk of Boco Station, Monaro, NSW.

Third eldest of seven sons (1 deceased) and one sister.

Early education was at a private school until at age 8 he went to Riverview (1897-1905). After this he went to the Government Experimental Farm at Wagga Wagga (Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute). After a year His uncle (father’s executor) put him in partnership on a dairy farm on the North coast. This was beset with difficulty including the whole property being flooded in spite of best efforts. His uncle promised to get him his own farm at 21, and so in the meantime he went to work for three years on a Station, where he remained for three years. He got some technical course in sheep farming at the Sydney Technical College (TAFE), Church Street, Parramatt, NSW. He started to work at wool classing for a Mr TW Green at Gundagai NSW, and during this time realised his vocation.

Received in Australia by the Irish Provincial Father Conmee and sent to Tullabeg.

by 1912 at Stonyhurst England (ANG) studying
by 1915 in Australia - Regency

◆ HIB Menologies SJ :
Early education was at Riverview, to which his father, Dr Rorke, was physician.

After his Noviceship at Tullabeg, he remained there to study Rhetoric.
He was then sent to Stonyhurst for Philosophy.
1914 he returned to Sydney and was stationed at the Day School, Milson’s Point, Sydney (St Aloysius).
He died in Melbourne 11 June 1919.

◆ David Strong SJ “The Australian Dictionary of Jesuit Biography 1848-2015”, 2nd Edition, Halstead Press, Ultimo NSW, Australia, 2017 - ISBN : 9781925043280
Gordon Rorke was educated at St Ignatius' College, Riverview, and spent some time at Wagga Agricultural College before entering the Society at Tullarnore, 14 April 1908. After the juniorate, he studied philosophy at Stonyhurst, 1911-14, and then did regency, first at St Aloysius' College, then at St Patrick's College, and finally at Xavier College, until 1919.
Rorke was universally known as “Bully”, because of his very powerful physique, but he was actually a very genial and generous man. All who knew him spoke highly of him. He died during the great influenza epidemic that followed the First World War, though his actual death seems to have been due to pneumonia.

◆ The Xaverian, Xavier College, Melbourne, Australia, 1919

Obituary

Gordon Rorke SJ

We doubt is a greater shock ever met the boys on their return at the beginning of a term than that caused by the sad news that during the vacation Mr Rorke SJ, had passed away. He caught cold on Ascension Thursday, the day following the break up of schools. It was taken in hand right away, but notwithstanding treatment it grew worse. By the close of May it had developed a serious aspect, and pneumonia had set in. Everything that skill and care could do was done, but it was of no avail, and on Monday, June 9th, he passed quietly away to the reward of a better life.

His going will be felt by many - by all who had the happiness of knowing and feeling the influence of his kindly feature for he was ever ready to help anyone at any time and in anything that was in his power. . He was not one to see and pass by. No, like the good Samaritan he always pulled up and by a kindly word and a helping hand lifted things cheerily along. He was one of those ready seven days in the week to help another - no mean tribute to a man in these times of stress and bustle in which there is a danger of holding to the maxim - “Every one for himself and God for us all”. Akin to his readiness to help others was an equal readiness to share his own. Most people who are earnest and energetic in getting up things are often cursed with the desire to preserve a “closed borough”. “Don't poach on my preserves” is the fly in their otherwise beautiful amber. With him it was far otherwise. Quite ready to do all himself, yet he ever welcomed help from others in the preparation, and his joy grew in proportion to the numbers that shared the success of the venture. Such action marked absence of pettiness, a genuine desire to disseminate happiness and a fundamental humility of which loveable and rare quality Gordon Rorke had, in his own way, a big store..

It is, however, by those closely connected with him that he will be most missed - by the boys of his division for whom he worked so unselfishly guarding their interests, securing their enjoyment and always seeking their betterment. He was never so happy as when preparing a concert, an illustrated lecture and even a picture show (his ingenuity provided a regular series of them) for his boys. But great and keen as the loss of all these, yet it is nothing to that experienced by his near and dear ones, especially by his sorrowing mother. His long course of studies in the Society of Jesus was nearing completion, and it was about to be crowned by the grace of the priesthood when the call came. To lose a dear friend at any time is hard, but to be parted from him just when the cup of bliss that meant so much to him and to others, was in his hands that was hard indeed. Their consolation, however, was it his unselfish sacrifice of it all. His generous and zealous soul had hoped to do much good work for God on earth. and to that end he had worked much and long. God, however, in His living providence willed otherwise, and, realizing that, he calmly said the highest yet hardest of prayers. “Thy will be done”, and, praying thus, passed away. May She who stood beneath the tree whereon the best of Sons died in agony, comfort yet another mother and all dear to her, left to mourn a good, great-hearted and much-loved son and brother. May he rest in peace.

◆ Our Alma Mater, St Ignatius Riverview, Sydney, Australia, 1919

Obituary

Gordon Rorke

Among the victims of the deadly pneumonic influenza, it is our extremely sad. duty to include an Old Boy Jesuit, Gordon Henry Rorke SJ, the third son of the late Dr Charles Rorke and Mrs Rorke, of “La Vista”, Walker Street, North Sydney. He fell ill on Ascension Thursday, was anointed on the following Tuesday, and died on Monday, the 9th of June, at Xavier College, Kew. Though specialists were called in, and he was cared for and watched with tender solicitude, nothing could be done to arrest the course of the dread malady. But his mother had the consolation of seeing him die perfectly conscious, after many days of intense suffering. A sad feature of his death was the fact that the week he contracted the flu, he was to have spent with his relatives in Sydney; preparatory to sailing towards the end of July for Ireland, to begin theology and be ordained. Coming to Riverview in 1897, he passed his Junior and left in 1904 to spend two years at Wagga Experimental Farm. He then took up some land in the Bellinger district, but only remained there a couple of years. Feeling himself called to higher things, he went to Ireland with Father Conmee, and joined the Jesuit Novitiate at Tullabeg: His noviceship and juniorate completed, he studied philosophy at Stonyhurst, and returned to Australia just before the war. He taught at St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, St Patrick's, Melbourne, and lastly at Xavier.

-oOo-

Gifted with a bright and genial disposition, he was beloved by both masters and boys, to whom he was always “Bully” Rorke. A man of splendid physique, a great sport, and possessed of a beautiful voice, his loss will be felt in the Order. He had the makings of a fine priest, a broad minded man, with strong faith, and a zealous enthusiasm for priestly work. To his sorrowing mother, to his only sister, Mrs Richard Loneragan, and to his brothers, Dr Syd, of Wellington, NSW, Dr Fred, of Hughenden, Q, Harold, Charlie, and Breffni, we extend our, utmost sympathy.-R.I.P.