Dean Joe Skelly
Title:
Dean
First Name:
Joseph
Middle Names:
Patrick
Preferred Name:
Joe
Surname:
Skelly
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Crows Nest QLD
Country of Birth:
Australia
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
St Patrick's Church, Toowoomba QLD
Country of Ordination:
Australia
Ordination Diocese:
Brisbane
Seminary:
St Columba's College, Springwood, Australia
St Patrick's College, Manly, Australia
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Toowoomba QLD
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Toowoomba QLD
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Appointments Table
Diocese | Place | Role | Start Day | Start Month | Start Year | End Day | End Month | End Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | Roma | Curate | 1926 | 1930 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | ||||
| Toowoomba | St George | Parish Priest | 1930 | 1940 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | ||||
| Toowoomba | Charleville | Parish Priest | 1940 | 1942 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | ||||
| Toowoomba | Helidon | Parish Priest | 1942 | 1948 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | ||||
| Toowoomba | Cathedral | Administrator | 1948 | 1958 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | ||||
| Toowoomba | Stanthorpe | Parish Priest | 1959 | Mar | 1970 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 |
Biographical Notes
Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, p 224:
Joseph Skelly
Standing next to his classmate William McGovern is Joseph P Skelly.
Joseph Skelly was born at Crow's Nest outside Toowoomba in about 1900. He attended Nudgee College before going down to Springwood and Manly. With Bill McGovern, he was ordained by Archbishop Duhig in St Patrick's, Toowoomba, in December 1925.
Joe was made Parish Priest of St George in 1930. Then he came down to the foot of the Range as Parish Priest of Helidon. This not being a wealthy parish, he was forced to become somewhat self-supporting by growing his own vegetables, etc. It was a big promotion when he was made Administrator of St Patrick's Cathedral in Toowoomba, a position he held for ten years from 1948. In 1954, as a memento of the Marian Year, he erected the Fatima Shrine near the Cathedral entrance.
In 1959, Joe went to Stanthorpe as Parish Priest. He died on 10th March 1970 and was buried in the Toowoomba-Drayton Cemetery. At his Requiem Mass, Bishop Brennan described him as 'a zealous pastor and a much loved priest.'
Fr Skelly was an uncle of Leo Skelly in the Brisbane Archdiocese.
(Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Martin.)
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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 Joseph Patrick Skelly, died 10 March 1970
Born at Crows Nest on 10th March, 1899, to Bernard and Elizabeth Skelly (nee Fox). He attended St Patrick's Convent School in the Valley, Crows Nest and Pinelands State Schools and St Joseph's, Nudgee. His Seminary training was at Springwood and Manly, and he was ordained in St Patrick's, Toowoomba, on 8th December, 1925, by Archbishop James Duhig. His first appointment was as Assistant in Roma from 1926-30, followed by St George as PP from 1930-40, Charleville, PP (1940-42), Helidon, PP (1942-48), St Patrick's Cathedral as ADM 1948-58 and PP at Stanthorpe from 1958. He died peacefully in St Vincent's Hospital on his 71st birthday, after a brief illness. He is buried in the Toowoomba/Drayton Cemetery. He was very keen on poultry farming - probably due to his country upbringing. He was a fine host and was noted for his charity and goodness to the old and sick priests in particular.
(Ref. Clerical CV and Fr B. Kane)
Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.