RIP, Jim Littleton MSC

Stephen Hackett writes:

It is with sadness that I inform you of the death earlier today of Fr Jim Littleton MSC.

Jim was the senior member of the Australian Province by age and religious profession.

He was always a gentleman, greatly appreciated for his kindness and support to many.

Jim served with distinction in our education apostolate, as prefect of the Apostolic School at Douglas Park and as principal of Chevalier College, Daramalan College and Downlands College.

He was elected Provincial Superior at the 1986 Provincial Chapter and led our Province for six years.

After completing his term as Provincial, Jim became the first Director of MSC Education. In a very real sense, he was the ‘founder’ of MSC Education as it exists today.

He retired in Canberra and lived in the Daramalan MSC residence until it closed six years ago. His last years were spent at the Sacred Heart Monastery, Kensington and St Joseph’s Home, Kensington.

As a younger man, Jim had attained a postgraduate qualification in history. He devoted many years in writing short histories of our apostolic works and places of ministry, as well as about deceased confreres.

He now joins those who have gone before us, praised for their good works and remembered with affection.

Jim called so many of the men he wrote about as ‘Remarkable MSC’. Jim truly was a remarkable MSC. His last booklet was his own memoir – worth looking for to know more about him.   

And a happy photo of Jim's 96th birthday last February.