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 Brian Anthony Moran, died 7 May 1997

"I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith; I look forward to the prize that is waiting for me." (2 Tim. 4:7 & 8). This was a favourite and much quoted text of scripture of Fr Brian Moran. Brian was the sixth and youngest son of Michael Moran and Elizabeth Newman. A brother, Tom, predeceased him. He was survived by brothers Kevin, John, Denis and sisters Maureen (Metcalfe) and Aileen (Cuskelly). Born at Nanango on July 10, 1928, his primary education was at Yarraman State, Yarraman Convent and Dalby Convent, with some time also with Correspondence lessons. His secondary education was at Pius XII Seminary, where he went after Scholarship. From a very early age Brian decided that he wanted to be a Priest. This desire was tested in his student days as he had to work hard at his studies. His strong sense of vocation helped him persevere through the long years of study and he was ordained at Dalby on June 30, 1956 by Bishop William Brennan. His first posting was to St Patrick's, Toowoomba, followed by appointments to Warwick, Dalby, Quilpie, Charleville, St George, Cunnamulla, Mitchell, St Thomas More's and his last appointment to Miles in February, 1979. Apart from two years in Toowoomba, Fr Brian spent all of his priestly life in country parishes. It was as a Priest of the west, as a bush pastor, that he found his niche. He was in tune with the life and people of the bush, of the country town. Former parishioners speak of his friendliness, his approachability; he had great rapport with both adults and children. He was a great host to all those who visited him and loved having visitors. He was noted for his tremendous compassion with the dying and the bereaved. Under, what seemed at times, a gruff exterior was a soft heart, able to empathise with those in trouble, to show strong emotion to those he cared for and loved family life was very important to him. His fellow priests found him a dedicated Priest. He rarely left his parish except for his yearly holiday, which was usually spent with his great friend Fr John Bergin, who predeceased him by three months. He had a strong sense of priestly vocation, a great people's priest. He had a particular gift in ministering to converts. He had a great love for the Mass, for Our Lady, Blessed Mary MacKillop. His deep devotion to the Mass, the Sacraments, is demonstrated by the strong faith exhibited in the parishes where he ministered. Fr Brian always welcomed the visits of his fellow Priests, and was to them, as to all visitors, a marvelous host. Above all he was a prayerful person who had a marvelous outlook on his approaching death. During his long illness the constant devotion and care of his friends was a clear demonstration of his past faithfulness to people, to family, to friends and to his fellow Priests. He is buried in the Toowoomba Lawn Cemetery.
(Ref. Archives and Clerical CV)

Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.