Long-serving priest Fr Pat Dowd has died, to be remembered at funeral Mass next Thursday, by Staff Writers, Catholic Leader, Brisbane, 12 February 2021:

Long-serving Brisbane priest Fr Pat Dowd died at his Camp Hill residence on February 10.

Fr Dowd served as parish priest at Carina, Upper Mt Gravatt, Caboolture, Kingaroy, Gayndah and Childers.

Brisbane auxiliary Bishop Ken Howell said the archdiocese was thankful to God for Fr Dowd’s faithful service, and would continue to pray for his family and the many parishioners whose lives had been touched by his faith-filled ministry.

Fr Dowd was ordained in 1959 and was a class mate to Fathers Denis Long, Vince Hobbs and Hal Ranger, who serves in Toowoomba diocese.

He celebrated his diamond anniversary of priesthood in 2019.

Fr Dowd’s ministry was largely served out in rural centres and he will be well remembered for supply work during his retirement within the North Country Deanery.

Fr Dowd will be buried at Nudgee Cemetery following a funeral Mass to be celebrated at St Stephen’s Cathedral on Thursday, February 18 at 10 am.

Due to COVID19 restrictions on numbers, this Mass will be livestreamed at archbne.org/bzw

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Funeral brochure18 February 2021:
Dowd, Fr Patrick Masterson

Fr Patrick Dowd was born on 14th November 1934 in Brisbane, to Patrick & Marie (nee Masterson) and was the oldest of the three children. As a child, Pat attended Primary school at St Ambrose's, Newmarket and Secondary at St Joseph's Gregory Terrace.

Following his education, Pat was ordained on 29th June 1959 at Cathedral of St Stephen by Archbishop Patrick Mary O'Donnell and was later that year appointed Assistant Priest on the staff of the Cathedral of St Stephen.

Fr Pat's following appointments were St Mary's Ipswich, Our Lady Help of Christians, Nanango and Our Lady of the Rosary, Kenmore. Pat was appointed Parish Priest of St Munchin's, Carina, on 4th July 1970 & later St Otteran's, Mt Gravatt East till 7th January 1978 when Pat was appointed to St Peter's Caboolture. Following appointments were: St Mary's Kingaroy 14th May 1983, St Joseph's Gayndah 10th July 1988, and Sacred Heart, Childers 23rd April 1994.

At the beginning of 1995 Pat responded to a request from the Toowoomba Diocese for Fr Brian Noonan to come to Childers (for family reasons) while Pat in turn pastored the Parish of Mitchell (Toowoomba) till the end of 1997. Pat was no stranger to the Toowoomba Diocese as his uncle Fr Jack Dowd had been Parish Priest of Oakey. Pat returned to the Parish of Childers from where he retired at the end of 2005.

Fr Pat passed away peacefully in his home after deteriorating health. He will be remembered as a wonderful and dedicated Priest who travelled many kilometres supplying Priestly Ministry to rural Parishes so that Priests could have an annual holiday.

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Humble, dedicated priest remembered at funeral Mass, by Mark Bowling, Catholic Leader, Brisbane, 18 February 2021:

Brisbane priest Fr Pat Dowd, described as a “real friend” and a humble and dedicated parish priest who served across the Brisbane Archdiocese, was farewelled at a moving funeral Mass in St Stephen’s Cathedral today.

Fr Vince Hobbs spoke of his longtime friend and year mate as “an authentic disciple of Jesus, a man of real faith, and hope and love – a dedicated Catholic priest who lived a life of humble service of God’s people”.

“Pat embraced his priesthood,” Fr Hobbs said.

“He enjoyed a deep abiding satisfaction of doing something worthwhile with his life… of serving God’s people in their relationship to their creator.

“And whether it was a big congregation or whether he had to travel hundreds of kilometres for the sake of a small group of people – it didn’t matter – all was God’s will. And that is what did matter.”

Fr Dowd served as parish priest at Carina, Upper Mt Gravatt, Caboolture, Kingaroy, Gayndah and Childers.

He was ordained in 1959 and was a classmate to Father Hobbs as well as Fathers Denis Long and Hal Ranger, who serves in Toowoomba diocese.

He celebrated his diamond anniversary of priesthood in 2019.

Fr Dowd’s ministry was served in many rural centres across Brisbane archdiocese and he will be well-remembered for his live-in supply work during his retirement within the North Country Deanery.

He is also remembered and appreciated for his contribution to Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

“I was blessed with a real friend in Pat,” Fr Hobbs said. “Pope Francis sees clericalism as a big problem in the priesthood. He’s talking about power, prestige, privilege.

“Well I knew Pat Dowd very well and I failed to see any of that in Pat.

“I did notice the smell of the sheep on him, but I couldn’t smell any of those other things.”

Fr Dowd passed away at his Camp Hill residence on February 10.

Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge presided over today’s funeral Mass, attended by fellow priests, family and friends.