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 Richard J McNamara, died 16 Dec 1926

Born at Kangaroo Point , Brisbane in 1895. The family went to live in Warwick when he was a young child. He attended the Sisters of Mercy Convent and was sent by his parents to Nudgee College where he made rapid progress in his studies. He undertook Seminary studies at Manly and was ordained in Sydney for the Brisbane Diocese on 30th November 1918. He served at Helidon, Charleville (10 months), was appointed parish priest of Taroom and Pittsworth. He was a very good organiser. His life was a battle against ill health from the time of his ordination. He died aged 31 in St Vincent's Hospital in December 1926 and is buried in the Nudgee Cemetery.
(Ref. Pugh's and Manly Magazines and Trove)

Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.

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Denis M. Long, Pioneer and Early Priests, Archdiocese of Brisbane, Deceased or retired by 1929, 2021, p 179:
Fr Richard James McNamara

Richard James McNamara was born on 29 March 1895 to Richard and Margaret Cecelia (nee Gaffney) McNamara. His sister Mary, born in September 1896, became a sister of Mercy.(1) Their father died in 1897, at the age of 27, with his daughter less than a year old and his son just two years of age.(2)

Richard was a cousin of Monsignor Vincent Cleary. Their mothers were sisters. Margaret was a registered nurse and brought up the two children. Richard was educated by Sisters of Mercy in Warwick before entering the Christian Brothers College at Nudgee where he passed the junior examination.

From Nudgee Richard entered St Patrick's College at Manly in 1912. He was ordained with his Brisbane classmates - Owen Hayes, Leo Hayes, and John Healy - in Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral by the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Cataneo, on 30 November 1918.

Fr McNamara ministered in Warwick for a short time followed by five months in Toowoomba and then ten months at Charleville. He served as a curate in Helidon and other parishes. In 1923 he was parish priest of Taroom. He became parish priest of Pittsworth where he ministered for over three years until his death, in St Vincent's Hospital Toowoomba, late on the night of Thursday 16 December 1926.(3)

A Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Stephen's Cathedral at 10.00am on Saturday 18 December. At 2.00pm the church funeral liturgy was conducted and the procession with Father McNamara remains proceeded to Nudgee cemetery where he was buried with other deceased priests of the diocese. His mother erected a beautiful monument over his grave. In 1953 his mother was buried in Nudgee cemetery and his sister Mary, Sister Mary St Bernard, was buried in the same cemetery in 1964.

The Warwick newspaper reported on the Month's Mind Requiem Mass held in Warwick and attended by nine priests:

Being never of a robust constitution, he was not able to shake off his last illness, and passed away peacefully in St Vincent's Hospital, Toowoomba.

Being a native of Warwick and the first priest of the parish to yield his soul into the hands of his Maker, it was thought appropriate to have the first solemn Requiem Mass in St Mary's new church offered for the repose of his soul. This took place on Friday morning (14th of January 1927) at 7 o'clock.(4)

Monsignor Potter, who had been in Warwick since 1891 and parish priest since 1905 knew the family well. He preached a panegyric at the Mass:

In the course of his remarks he referred to the many excellent qualities of the deceased as a boy, a student, and a priest. He thanked the large congregation for attending to show their esteem for his memory in the best way possible, by praying for the repose of his soul. He also thanked the priests and sisters for attending, and also the choir for their kindness in singing the Mass. On behalf of the congregation he offered sincere sympathy to the mother and sister and relatives of the deceased and asked all to pray for the repose of the soul of Fr R J McNamara.(5)

Footnotes
1. Queensland Death Registration, 1964/B66946.
2. Queensland Death Registration, 1897/ C1558.
3. Brisbane Courier, Friday 17 Dece1926, page 9.
4. Warwick Daily News, Monday 17 Jan 1927, page 2.
5. ibid.

Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Long.