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Photo by SBC

Father Allan Jones SM (1961-1966)

Jacqui Anderson and Fr Allan Jones SM —

In 1961, as a young third former, Fr Allan Jones would catch the train from Rangiora to Styx Station to attend St Bede’s.

It was a long day, catching the 7.20am train and not getting back to Rangiora until 6.00pm. The “train boys” as they were known would get off at Styx Station where they had left their bikes and would then bike the rest of the way to St Bede’s.

From his first year at St Bede’s, Fr Allan played rugby, starting in the Flyweights and then moving through to the Bantams, Lightweights, Second XV and then the First XV. On the nights of practice, it would be even later before he got home and both the bike ride and train were always cold and dark in Winter.

Image by: SBC

While Rugby was his sport of Winter, in the last two years of school, Cricket would take over in the Summer. The teams of the Rugby First XV and Cricket First XI would play their games on Saturday, so that meant busy weekends and because the trains didn’t run at the weekend, he would stay in town at a friend’s house.

Image by: SBC

It was in his final year of school that Fr Allan made the decision to go Greenmeadows, the Marist Seminary (otherwise known as “the Boss factory”) in Hawkes Bay. Although he could continue cricket there, they didn’t play rugby. By now, Fr Allan wasn’t only playing First XV for St Bede’s, he was also playing for the Canterbury U19 team, the Canterbury Colts and the School Boy Centurions. So, at the age of 18, it was a big decision to end his rugby career and go to the Seminary, but he made the decision to go to Greenmeadows, because he believed this was the correct path for him.

Between 1967 – 1973, Fr Allan was at Greenmeadows, where he did his studies for priesthood. His year of novitiate, or Spiritual year, was at Highden in 1968 and at the end of this year, he was received as a member of the Society of Mary. From Highden, he went back to the seminary at Greenmeadows and after taking his final vows he was ordained as a Priest for the Society of Mary in 1973. While completing his studies at Greenmeadows, he began extra-mural studies in History and English through Massey University.

When he had completed his time at Greenmeadows, Fr Allan was sent to St Mary’s in Christchurch for 3 months, where he gained Priestly experience. His first appointment was to St Pat’s Silverstream in 1974, where he was fully engaged as a Priest, rugby coach, teacher and mentor. 1979 and 1980 saw him at the University of Canterbury, finishing his degree and graduating May 1980. From 1981 – 1985, he taught at Pompallier College in Whangarei, where, because of Integration, he was asked to set up the Pastoral Counselling. In 1986, he was sent back to St Bede’s, to set up the Pastoral Counselling and was here until the end of 1988, during which time, he also did Post Graduate studies in Counselling at UC. In 1989, he was appointed with another Marist Priest to a new venture to Rawene in South Hokianga, where he stayed for 9 years.

1997, saw him return to the lower North Island, this time to Wellington, where he was appointed as part of the Society of Mary Provincial team, until 2002. He was then appointed as the Director of the Catholic Enquiry Centre, a centre set up for those wanting to enquire about the Catholic faith. He held this position for 10 years.

In 2017, he was appointed back to St Bede’s, having been invited to become the Marist Priestly presence in the school and the College Priest. We still have Fr Allan here, a fountain of knowledge on St Bede’s and Catholicism, a humble and respected presence in the school, a person who is happy to have a chat, share a joke, listen to people, but above all, who lives a life of servant leadership.