Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, pp 80-81:
Vincent Wheeler

In the mid 1980s, bulldozers were clearing land on the old Jackson Estate at Cribb Island for the new Brisbane airport. One of the truck drivers phoned Archives to find out about a foundation stone in the grass there. He had not studied Latin, but as he read out some letters two names were obvious - Jacobus Duhig and V Wheeler. It was the last remnant of St Martha's School which had been built when Vince was Parish Priest of Banyo. Just for the record, a little church had stood nearby also.

Vincent Aloysius Wheeler was used to moving around and that was the pattern of his life. He was born in Brisbane in 1895. His father William was involved in printing which necessitated going to places such as Hughenden where he produced a newspaper. It seems James Duhig knew the family when he was a young priest for he spoke of Vince's exemplary parents who were involved in Catholic Action groups and were later to give their four children to the Church - l priest and 3 sisters [2 Sacred Heart and 1 Mercy].

So Vince's life began 'to wheel' at a young age. He tells us he was 'educated at various primary schools in Brisbane, Hughenden, Sydney, Melbourne, and Durban in South Africa'! Secondary education was at St Stanislaus College, Bathurst. (This Vincentian School incorporated the former St Charles Seminary.)

Then for a time he himself worked as a clerk at Gordon and Gotch, in the traffic branch of the railways, and finally printing and newspaper work back at Hughenden.

With this wealth of experience behind him, he decided to study for the priesthood. He went through Springwood and Manly to be ordained in St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney by Archbishop Kelly in late 1922.

It would be tedious to mention all Vince's appointments but some which lasted for about 12 months were: Warwick [where he bought an Overland car and astonished the locals by 'speeding' out to Pratten for Mass in 45 minutes], Childers, Toogoolawah, and Graceville [where he lived in a room added to the back of the Church]. One comes to understand why the Catholic Directory had to be produced annually.

At this juncture, 1934, he decided to join the Divine Word Society. He sailed for the USA to enter the novitiate in Chicago, taking first vows in September 1936. Then it was off to the missions in New Guinea. Unfortunately, he caught the dreaded malaria, applied for dispensation from his vows and returned to Brisbane.

As one door closed, another opened. The war had now broken out so Vince was appointed a roving chaplain, visiting the camps at Gaythorne, Redbank, Caloundra and Cowan Cowan on Moreton Island.

Later appointments included Yeronga, Caboolture and finally Banyo 'with the added responsibility of Cribb Island' in 1952. In 1950, he had gone on a pilgrimage to Rome and Lourdes where he took slides and movies of the Holy Year celebrations. These were shown at evenings around the parishes and were looked upon as a type of mission.

After an active life of 59 years, 31 of them as a priest, ill health caught up with Fr Wheeler and he was admitted to the Mater Hospital. He was at the point of death, so the Archbishop as was his custom went over to give his final blessing.

Having done so, he turned to those about the bedside and said, '... and I was just about to make him a Monsignor too.' But Vince had the last word: a voice was heard to respond, 'You had plenty of time to do it!' He died on 19th December 1953 and his last move was being wheeled out to Nudgee.

Now there were those who said, perhaps unkindly, that Vince was a bit eccentric, and even, 'He had a wheel in his name and a wheel in his brain!'

But let Archbishop Duhig have the final good words: 'Fr Wheeler was a faithful and zealous worker. His genial disposition endeared him to his fellow priests. He certainly carried all his years the simplicity of childhood, while at the same time he was an excellent administrator and a most zealous priest.'

(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 Vincent Aloysius Wheeler, died 19 Dec 1953

Studies for the priesthood at St Columba's , Springwood, and St Patrick's College Manly (N.S.W.) and was ordained in St Mary's Cathedral Sydney on 30th November, 1922. He served in the parishes of Ipswich, Warwick, Childers, Valley, Maryborough, Toogoolawah, Rosewood, Graceville and Coorparoo. With the approbation of Archbishop Duhig, Fr Wheeler applied to the Missionaries of the Divine Word (St Mary's Mission House, Techny, Chicago, U.S.A.) for admission into their society. He left on the Monterey on August 22 1934 to study. Nothing is known of his life and ministry after he joined the SVD's until his death in Brisbane on 19th December 1953.

Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.