Reverend Joseph Yu
The first Chinese Priest in Australia
(1926-2019)
Joseph Yu was born in Hupeh, Wuhan, China on 9th March 1926. He received his “divine call” by Father Hennessy. In 1948, he went to Rome to become a priest. He was ordained in Rome on the 9th of December 1954, in the chapel of Propaganda College, Rome. Former Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs of Australia, Arthur Calwell, supported Joseph to come to Australia in 1955.
Joseph started as a Chaplain for young Chinese people in East Kew in 1958. Here was an Assistant Priest. He supported them during the time of the White Australia Policy. In 1963 he was based in Ascot Vale and at North Brunswick in 1968.
He was appointed Parish Priest of the newly formed parish of North Reservoir in 1970. He established the parish at St Joseph the Worker Church on 4th February 1970, when it was cut off from the neighbouring parish of St Gabriel’s in Spring Street Reservoir. Here, he put together a support of Chinese Citizens under the White Australia Policy. On 8 August 1971, Archbishop Knox blessed and opened the first Church which now serves as the parish hall. The Church was opened on 1 May 1990 by Archbishop Frank Little.
Joseph noticed that many of the attendees at St Joseph the Worker Church spoke Italian. He took Italian classes. Eventually he spoke fluent Italian and preached in Italian to his congregation. Joseph Yu retired in 2002. He passed away on the 19th of October 2019, aged 93 years.
Material donated by Clare Lo, daughter of a friend of Joseph Yu. She provided much of this biography.
YU, Reverend Joseph’. Retrieved 24th June, 2024. https://www.mytributes.com.au/notice/death-notices/yu-reverend-joseph/5085166/