They Shall Rest From Their Labours. Father Terence Collins, Biloela. R.I.P., The Review, Rockhampton, July 1967, p 6:

On Monday, June 26th, Father Terence Collins, Parish Priest of Biloela, died in Rockhampton. For thirty years he had laboured in many parts of the Diocese apart from three years which he spent as an Army Chaplain. Since 1954 he has guided the development of the Church in Biloela during the years of its spectacular growth, and his efforts were crowned with the opening of a new church in July, 1965. Some indication of the high regard of the people of Biloela for Father Collins was given by the large number who were present in St. Joseph's Cathedral for his Requiem Mass. Speaking at this Mass, His Lordship, Bishop Rush said:

This Cathedral was the scene of the greatest event in his life. On the 5th December, 1937, Terry Collins, in all the vigour of his young manhood, lay prostrate on the sanctuary floor only a few feet from where his body now rests waiting to be carried to its grave. He lay there then - as if he were already dead - and he heard the haunting music of the Litany calling on all the Saints in heaven to come to his aid. His posture was the sign of his desire to die to himself so that he might give himself absolutely to God in the Priesthood. When he rose he knelt before Bishop Hayes who laid his hands on Him and consecrated him a Priest forever.

Some of you remember it well. His family, whom he loved so much, will never forget it. It was the Second Sunday of Advent. In the Gospel of that day Our Lord spoke to the people about John the Baptist. He said that it was about John that the Prophet had spoken when he said, "Look I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare the way before you." John was the messenger who prepared the way for Our Lord's coming. On that December day in 1937 Father Terry Collins was given the same mission. He too, was to prepare the way for the coming of Christ into the lives of the people amongst whom he would work. His mission took him to many places in the diocese and beyond it.

He was an assistant Priest in Bundaberg for a year, and in Barcaldine for 3 years before he became an Army Chaplain in 1943. After 3 years in the Army he was Parish Priest in Monto for a year, and in Capella for 6 months before being appointed to the Dawson Valley. He was 3 years in the Dawson, another 3 years in Aramac and 1 year in Alpha. He went to Biloela in 1954.

The people of Biloela have known Father Collins now for 13 years. They knew him as a simple man who openly delighted in simple things. His faith was child-like in its simplicity. For him life was uncomplicated. He believed in and loved God and the Church. He had given himself to what he believed in and loved. It was as simple as that. I think that he would have found it hard to understand how anyone could see any difficulty in believing as he did. He wasn't given to quoting the Pauline epistles, but he would have agreed with what St. Paul wrote: "I know who it is that I have put my trust in, and I have no doubt at all that He is able to take care of all that I have entrusted to Him until that Day."

Father Collins was a kind man who tried unsuccessfully to mask his soft-heartedness by an outward show of toughness. Over these last few days people, deeply moved by the news of his death, have told me of the gratitude they owed him for the tender care he had lavished on their families in time of hardship and sorrow. I am sure that this morning there are countless people in Biloela and throughout the Diocese who mourn in Father Collins a simple great-hearted Priest whom they are proud to remember as the most loyal of friends. To the parishioners of Biloela I offer the sympathy of the whole diocese.

The heart of every priest in the diocese goes out in a special way to Father Collins's closest Priest-friends and most of all to his sister and brothers and the rest of his family to whom he was bound by the strongest affection. We are particularly indebted to his doctors and the nursing staff of the Mater Hospital for their compassionate attention to the needs of our brother-priest.

Accept, O Lord, the sacrifice that we will now offer for the soul of Terrence, Your Priest. You honoured him with the Priesthood: grant him also its reward.

Come to his aid every Saint of God: go out to meet him every angel of the Lord. Take his soul and offer it in the sight of God's majesty.

Eternal rest grant to him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.