Joseph Lui

He trained for ordination at St Paul's Theological College, Moa.^[7] He was ordained deacon in 1919 by the Bishop of Carpentaria, the Rt Rev Henry Newton, and priest in 1925, by his successor Rt Rev Stephen Davies.^[8] He was ordained along with Poey Passi, and the two were the first two Torres Strait Islanders to be ordained priest in the Anglican Church of Australia. In 1926 it was reported that Passi and Lui did not wear the western clerical collar, but instead wore a native costume of calico and singlet.^[9] The first Aborigine to be ordained a deacon was James Noble in 1925; it was not until 1970 that an Aborigine, Patrick Brisbane, was ordained priest.^[10]

From 1919 to 1931 Lui was Curate at Dauan and Saibai, including periods as Temporary Chaplain at the Mitchell River Mission (1925–1926) and Curate in Charge at Darnley and Stephens Island (1926).^[11][12] From 1931 he was Priest in Charge of Murray Island.^[13]

Lui died in 1941 on Thursday Island.^[14][15] He was buried in the Lady Chapel of St Paul's Church, Moa Island.^[16]