Fr Jerome Santamaria studied law and physics at the University of Melbourne before working as a lawyer for a few years. During this time, he was a member of the Hawthorn Conference of St Vincent de Paul Society. He also briefly volunteered as a Migration Agent at Refugee Immigration Legal Centre in Fitzroy.
While completing a Masters in Law at University College, London, he decided to enter Corpus Christi College, Carlton, to study for the priesthood. He completed the normal course of studies over seven years, including a Masters in Theology. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Melbourne on our Lady’s birthday in 2012. He was appointed as assistant priest at St Bede’s, North Balwyn, and St Anne’s, East Kew.
He was then sent to Rome to complete a Licentiate in Patristic and Historical Theology at Pontifical Gregorian University. His thesis used Eric Voegelin’s image of reason as way to read Origen’s homilies on Exodus. Fr Jerome continued at the same university to complete a Doctorate in Sacred Theology. His doctorate was broadly in fundamental theology, examining the revelation of the person and the person as revelatory. He used the work of Hans Urs von Bathasar and, particularly, David Walsh in this investigation. This included an examination of the prayer of the Shema, Luke 10, John 17 and the celebration of the Eucharist in light of this theory of the person. He was supervised by Bishop Étienne Vetö.
He is currently Parish Priest of St Mary’s, St Kilda East, and St Colman’s, Balaclava. He is also chaplain to St Mary’s College, Windsor, and part of the pastoral support team for the Alfred Hospital.
Fr Jerome has interests in the work of John Finnis, Fr Louis Bouyer, Eric Voegelin, David Walsh.