Yesterday marked 50 years since the death of James McAuley, the man considered to be Australia’s most significant Catholic hymn writer. Source: Hobart Archdiocese.
McAuley wrote the lyrics of 22 hymns, with the accompanying music composed by musician Richard Connolly (1927-2022), with whom he enjoyed a close friendship and collaboration over many years.
Many Tasmanian Catholics may not realise that McAuley, who was a talented poet, academic and political activist, lived on the Apple Isle for the last period of his life until his untimely death in 1976.
McAuley lived with his wife Norma and their children on Marsh Street in New Town from 1961. They attended Sunday Mass together at Sacred Heart Church, New Town, where he was known to play the organ with great gusto while his wife led the choir in song, and their sons served at the altar.
McAuley’s daughter, Katherine Westlake, still lives in New Town and attends Mass at Sacred Heart. Hearing her father’s hymns still played at Mass on a regular basis makes her “very proud” she said.
“It brings back sad memories too, because of losing him so early, but lovely memories,” she said.
“I remember him talking about the hymns but not really realising how many there would be and how important.”
James Phillip McAuley was born in the western Sydney suburb of Lakemba in 1917. He was born to an Anglican mother and a lapsed-Catholic father who had made a vow never to revert to the faith of his childhood.
McAuley obtained a Master of Arts degree at Sydney University, and worked as a school teacher for a period.
In 1942, he married Norma Abernethy and they went on to have six children together—Katherine, Philip, Michael, Timothy, Stephen, and Andrew, who sadly died soon after birth.
Towards the end of the World War II, McAuley began working as a lecturer for the Australian School of Pacific Administration, a position which required him to travel frequently to Papua New Guinea. It was in PNG that McAuley experienced a major spiritual conversion which led him to enter the Catholic Church.
He was baptised in 1952 at St Charles Borromeo Church in Ryde, Sydney. His wife was baptised the following year, after which were both confirmed.
In 1952, McAuley and his wife tragically suffered the loss of their youngest child, Andrew, who survived only a day after his birth.
In 1970, McAuley was diagnosed with bowel cancer. He died in 1976 and was laid to rest at the Cornelian Bay cemetery.
FULL STORY
Remembering Australia’s greatest Catholic hymn writer 50 years on (By Catherine Sheehan, Hobart Archdiocese)
RELATED COVERAGE
Rediscovering James McAuley, one of our finest poets (The Catholic Weekly)
