Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba, Horizons, no. 46, May 2017, p 4:
Fr Hector (Tom) Sheeran

Hector Thomas (Tom) Sheeran was born 13 April 1935 in Elsternwick, Victoria to Hector and Susanna and had one brother Michael and two sisters Ann and Jennifer. He attended school at Sacred Heart School Sandringham and St Bede's College Mentone, both in Victoria.

From 1955 to 1960, Tom attended Corpus Christi Werribee in Victoria. In 1962, he attended Pius XII Provincial Seminary Banyo in Queensland. Fr Tom was ordained to the priesthood in St Patrick's Cathedral Melbourne on 29 June 1964 by Archbishop Justin Simonds.

Fr Tom was appointed to the Cathedral, Cunnamulla, Warwick, Mitchell, Administrator at the Cathedral and back to Warwick. He also held many different Diocesan Offices at that time from Vocations and Youth to Dean of Warwick.

Fr Tom was a man of many talents. It was during his time out west that he became renown as a boxing coach, even reaching an international level of skill as a referee. He was chosen to be a boxing referee for the 1982 Commonwealth Games. Fr Tom was also equally well known for his vintage car collection and appreciation for antiques. His hobby of rebuilding and restoring vintage cars was a source of great enjoyment for him. He also had a f lair for the artistic, enjoying acting, painting, sketching and cartooning.

A class mate of Fr Tom's at Banyo, Fr Kerry Costigan said in his Words of Remembrance, "He was admired and respected in the parishes he was called to serve, his enthusiasm and integrity were evident, enhancing the love he seemed to have of being a priest."

Fr Kerry also recalled a chance encounter, "On the night of Tom's death, I caught a taxi to visit… I told him [the taxi driver] I was on the way to offer prayers for a priest who had died. He said he knew only one priest, Fr Tom Sheeran… He told me as a young aboriginal boy growing up in Mitchell, Fr Sheeran taught him the art of boxing. I was inquisitive enough to ask him what he thought of Fr Sheeran. He said he was firm but fair."

Another fellow class mate, Fr James Byrne, offered these words of tribute, "Tom's greatest talent for sure was his priesthood. In and through the tremendous array of talents he lived out, he was always a priest. He in his own way lived out a priestly mission not confined to the presbytery but in the marketplace wherever he dealt with people. I visited Tom in full flight at the Toowoomba Swap days several times, dressed in his blue overalls, but always he was Father Tom to all."

Fr Tom retired to live privately in Toowoomba in 2005 and moved to Lourdes Home in 2015. He died peacefully at St Vincent's Care Services, (Lourdes) on 6 March 2017. A Funeral Mass was held at St Patrick's Cathedral 13 March 2017.

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Prayer Calendar: Deceased Priests who have ministered the Catholic Faith throughout Toowoomba and districts, 1864–2025, Compiled by Annie Carrett, Diocesan Archivist, 2001, Updated by Gabrielle Saide, Diocesan Archivist, 2023:
Rev Hector Thomas (Tom) Sheeran, died 6 Mar 2017

Hector Thomas Sheeran (Tom) was born in Elsternwick Victoria on 13th April 1935 to Hector Thomas Sheeran and Susanna Ethel Bradley. He has one brother, Michael and two sisters, Ann Moloney and Jennifer Mithin. His Primary School education took place at Sacred Heart School Sandringham and his Secondary Education at St Bede's College, Mentone. He spent one year at Taylor's College of Accounting. In 1955 he entered Corpus Christi Seminary Werribee to study for the Priesthood. In 1962 he was accepted into Banyo Seminary Brisbane to continue his studies. He was ordained to the Priesthood on 29th June 1964 in St Patrick's Cathedral Melbourne by Archbishop Justin Simonds. His first appointment was to St Patrick's Cathedral in 1964. This was followed by appointments in Cunnamulla and Warwick as assistant Priest. He then spent three years from 1975 to 1978 as Diocesan Director of Pontifical Missions, Director of Vocations and Director of Youth. In 1978 he was appointed Parish Priest of Mitchell and in 1981 he was appointed Administrator at St Patrick's Cathedral and remained there until 1991 when he was made Parish Priest of Warwick. He retired from active ministry in Warwick in April 2005 and lived privately in Toowoomba whilst carrying out supply work in parishes.
Fr Tom held many Diocesan Offices including Diocesan Consultor, Director of Missions and Australian Catholic relief. His classmate Fr Kerry Costigan delivered the Eulogy at his funeral and spoke of Fr Tom's many talents. He was admired and respected in the parishes he was called to serve, his enthusiasm and integrity were evident, enhancing the love he seemed to have of being a priest. He did so appreciate his priestly ministry especially as his pathway to ordination as a student had its checks. He was an international boxing referee and made a great contribution to that sport and reached out to many young people through his involvement in this sport. He loved a game of golf and could also play the actor as well as recite poetry. He developed an interest in old vintage cars and was very proud of his nine vintage cars, predominately Hupmobiles. In April 2015 Fr Tom through ill health moved to Lourdes Home for the Aged where he remained until he died peacefully on 6th March 2017. He is buried at the Toowoomba Garden of Remembrance.
(ref. C.V. and Eulogy by Fr Kerry Costigan)

Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.