His Provincial, Fr David Myers, had said that if Fr Hill "didn't write this biography he didn't think anyone else would," so Fr Hill, now "retired", put his golfing on hold, and spent two years of his life on the book.

Research required two visits to Italy and a huge amount of background reading.

Fr Hill, who'd spent much of his life as a teacher, claims not to see himself as a writer.

Nevertheless he'd produced a smaller work on Rosmini 20 years ago, and for about 13 years was also founding editor of Tui Motu, the New Zealand Catholic magazine which has its editorial office in Dunedin. Continue reading