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:
Rt Rev Monsignor James Cole Madden, DD, died 17 Oct 1979

James Cole Madden was born on 25th October, 1901, at Booval, the eldest of seven children, to Cornelius and Elizabeth Ann Madden (nee Cole). He began his schooling with the Sisters of Mercy, then graduated to St Mary's CBC, Ipswich, and on to Nudgee College. He entered Springwood in 1920, and then moved to St Patrick's, Manly, in 1921. He completed his studies at the Irish College in Rome, and was ordained on 20th March, 1926 in the Lateran Basilica by Cardinal Pompili. He continued his studies for a further year gaining a Doctor of Divinity, and on returning to Australia, was appointed (in the first of three periods) to St Patrick's College, Manly. When the new See of Toowoomba was created in 1929, Dr Madden was appointed as Bishop Byrne's Secretary and Diocesan Director of Schools - he was on loan from the Brisbane Archdiocese and was eventually incardinated into the Toowoomba Diocese in 1932. Between 1935 and 1936 he returned to Manly to occupy the Chairs of Moral Theology and Church History. He returned to the Diocese as Administrator of the Cathedral with residence at Holy Name Presbytery. Again, the authorities of the Sydney Archdiocese tendered a request for his services, and in 1940 he departed Toowoomba. In 1943, he became the sixth President of the College. He was made a Domestic Prelate in 1950 and incardinated into the Sydney Archdiocese in 1951. In 1968, he received a letter of release from the College and was appointed as Parish Priest of Lewisham. He retired in 1972 to "Swifts" at Darling Point, where he spent his last few years ministering to a small congregation. In 1978, as his health failed, he requested to come to Lourdes Home in Toowoomba. He died there peacefully in 1979 and is buried in the Toowoomba/Drayton Cemetery. He was the last Priest to be buried in the Drayton Clerical Plot, whose ground had been bought for the Diocese in 1930.
(Ref. "Shepherd Amid Shepherds" and Fr B Kane)

Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.