Rev Reginald Prior
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Cecil
Middle Names:
Reginald Sydney
Preferred Name:
Reginald
Surname:
Prior
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Pittsworth QLD
Country of Birth:
Australia
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Toowoomba QLD
Country of Ordination:
Australia
Ordination Diocese:
Toowoomba
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toowoomba | Toowoomba North | Curate | Jan | 1930 | Oct | 1931 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | ||
| Toowoomba | Charleville | Curate | Oct | 1931 | 1934 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | |||
| Toowoomba | Goondiwindi | Curate | 1934 | 1938 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | ||||
| Toowoomba | Cunnamulla | Parish Priest | 1938 | 1942 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | ||||
| Toowoomba | Charleville | Parish Priest | 1942 | 1948 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | ||||
| Toowoomba | Helidon | Parish Priest | 1948 | 1958 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | ||||
| Toowoomba | Toowoomba | Chancellor | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | ||||||
| Toowoomba | Cambooya | Parish Priest | 1958 | 1962 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar |
Biographical Notes
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 Cecil Reginald Sydney (Reginald) Prior, died 28 Apr 1962
Born Cecil Reginald Sydney Prior on 10th July 1905 in Pittsworth to James and Margaret Ann Prior (nee Connor). He attended the State School in Pittsworth and the Convent School there, as well as St Mary's in Toowoomba. After attending both Springwood and Manly Seminaries, he was ordained in Toowoomba on 8th December 1929 by the Most Rev James Byrne, DD. He was the first of five priests ordained for the new Diocese, being the senior man of the 1929 class. His first appointment was as Curate to Toowoomba with residence at Holy Name from January 1930 to October 1931, then followed by Curate to Charleville (1931-34) and Curate to Goondiwindi (1934-38). (He was reportedly exiled to Charleville and Cunnamulla by Monsignor McKenna for wearing shorts while playing tennis on the Holy Name Courts). He was Parish Priest of Cunnamulla from 1938-42, Charleville (1942-48) and Helidon (1948-58). Whilst at Helidon, and suffering from increasingly failing health, Fr Prior did a weekly show on 4GR Radio explaining Christian Doctrine in an easily understood way. These programs were later published under the title "Come and See". During his time at Helidon, he was also Chancellor of the Diocese. His other Diocesan roles included Synodal Examiner February 1948, Diocesan Secretary 1948, Migrant Chaplain December 1948 and Chairman Immigration Committee 1949.
A very able and learned man, apart from his radio work, he also wrote at least one manual on Christian Doctrine as a text for Catholic Schools. His last position was at Cambooya until his death. He died after a long period of illness in St Vincent's Hospital, Toowoomba, and is buried in the Toowoomba/Drayton Cemetery.
(Ref. Clerical CV, Manly, Oct. 1963, Vol. 9, No. 5 and Fr B. Kane).
Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.