Fr Dudley Anthony Jones

Early Life
Dudley Jones was born in Calcutta, in India, on September 19, 1922.

He undertook his clerical studies in Kandy in India and was ordained a priest for the diocese of Calcutta August 24, 1947.

He came to Adelaide in 1974, arriving on March 15, originally on loan to the diocese for one year.  His Visa and travel arrangement were handled by the Adelaide Catholic Immigration Office.

Appointments
Initially he resided at the Archbishop’s House, West Terrace and then on May 15 he was appointed assistant priest in the Salisbury parish. But four months later he returned to the Archbishop’s House, where he remained for most of his working life in Adelaide. He was appointed as assistant priest at the Cathedral. But from time-to-time he would ‘supply’ in various parishes, especially for weekend Masses.

He was well known to people who came to weekday Mass at the Cathedral or went to Confessions there. He often celebrated Mass for the Sisters of Mercy at their Angas Street Convent or for the Dominican Sisters at Franklin Street.

While he was initially on loan for one year, this was extended from time-to-time as was his working Visa. Dudley was a unique individual with his own style of celebration and preaching, sometimes to the surprise and bewilderment of people who did not know him. His sense of humour and unique way of expressing himself brought a smile to many a face.

In his inimitable style, without reference to anyone in the Church, he applied for Australian Citizenship, which was granted, and he was subsequently incardinated into the Archdiocese of Adelaide on March 2, 2005.

A unique personality
Again in an independent manner he bought himself a small property at Virginia which he intended to be a retreat centre for priests and religious. He dedicated it to Our Lady Queen of the Sick and he had visions of it becoming a place of pilgrimage. Each year he would spend his four weeks holiday there even though it had no running water or electricity. And from time-to-time he would ‘disappear’ to spend some days there in isolation planting olive trees and other gardening adventures.

He had a small circle of friends and had a warm spirit of hospitality. But this did not come easily as he was basically a very humble and shy person. He never drove a car but was famous for riding his bike around the city – he called it his Rolls Royce. But he enjoyed betting on the races through the TAB, sometimes with good success.

As time went on he became somewhat eccentric and did not celebrate public Masses or hear Confessions, but celebrated Mass privately in the chapel at the Archbishop House where he resided.

Not long after his incardination he became seriously ill. After working in the Cathedral parish for 28 years he retired on his 80th birthday and moved into Villa Beovich at Myrtle Bank in November 2004. He died in the Lyell McEwen Hospital on May 2, 2005. A vigil ceremony with the Rosary was celebrated in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral on May 3, with his Funeral Mass the next day. In his eulogy, Fr Maurice Shinnick who had been administrator at the Cathedral said: “May Fr Dudley be welcomed into the heavenly home of Mary, Queen of health, and all the saints, and may he glory in the beauty of the Trinity, whom he served as a priest for 57 years. May he rest in peace.”

His mortal remains were interred in the Catholic Section of the Enfield Cemetery.

May he rest in peace.