Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 1, 1979, p 36:

Bucas, Jules A., French
Breton Peasant --- Full of Faith and Good Works
A nephew of Pierre Marie Bucas who brought him to Q'd and helped him complete his studies. Both uncle and nephew are torch-bearers of Catholicity in rural Qld. In his book 'Crowded Years' Abp. Duhig shows a great regard for men of this calibre, with some laughs up his sleeve at their eccentricities. Jules finished his priesthood studies at Sevenhill, S.A. CD's show that he served at T'ville ('82), Clermont ('92), Bowen ('93, '01), Mount Morgan ('08), Ayr-Brandon in the Rock'n Dioc. where he was the first Pastor. In the '20's he was at Emerald, attending to at least a dozen Mass centres. His tombstone in the Nudgee Cemetery reveals that he died in Aug. 1930.
(Footprints, Vol. 1, No. 9)

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Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, pp 60-61:
Jules Bucas

The presence of Fr Jules Bucas reminds us that several French priests did pioneering work in the Diocese. Jules was born in Brittany in 1862. Some of his seminary training was completed locally. Then with his cousin Julien Plormel, he came out to Rockhampton where their uncle Fr Pierre Bucas was located.

Bishop Cani arranged for the two cousins to proceed to the Jesuit House at Sevenhill in South Australia to complete their studies for the priesthood. This done, he ordained them in Rockhampton pro-Cathedral c1889.

In the following year Jules worked in Townsville, Clermont, Bowen, Mt Morgan, and Ayr. In James Duhig's time at Rockhampton he was at Charters Towers.

In 1915 he joined up as an AIF Chaplain and was therefore able to revisit his homeland but sadly, it was not as he knew it. The war also ruined his health.

After some years at Emerald, it was arranged that he spend the remaining years of his life in the kinder climate of Brisbane. His former Bishop gave him every consideration and appointed him Administrator of the new parish of Cavendish Rd and Chaplain to Loreto Convent. This was in 1925.

Declining health and old age took their toll and he died in the Mater Hospital on 26th August 1930. The funeral proceeded to Nudgee Cemetery.

At the Requiem Mass, Archbishop Duhig spoke feelingly of him: 'I was his Bishop several years ago and found him to be a man of great piety and devout qualities. In his poverty and labours, he truly modelled the life of the Divine Master. He was a simple, cultured saintly priest whose life, although filled with labour was most unobtrusive. He was seldom seen in public, his name seldom appeared in the press. If he had but the necessities of life, he was always cheerful and happy.'

Jules Bucas was aged 68. It is interesting to note that his uncle, Fr Pierre, was still alive at 90 years of age although he did not survive his nephew for long. They serve as a reminder of that great flowering of the Faith that took place especially in rural France in the 19th Century.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Martin.)

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Denis M. Long, Pioneer and Early Priests, Archdiocese of Brisbane, Deceased or retired by 1929, 2021, p 190 [includes a photograph stated to be of Fr Jules]:
Rev Fr Jules Bucas

Fr Jules Bucas spent the last four or five years of his life in the Archdiocese of Brisbane.(1)

Jules Bucas was born in Beganhe in Brittany France in 1862. His early education was in his native parish at the diocesan seminary.

At the age of 20 he came to Australia, with his cousin Julien Plormel to join their uncle Fr Peter Bucas in the newly established diocese of Rockhampton. They went to Jesuit College at Sevenhills in South Australia to complete their studies for the priesthood.(2) In 1888 Fr Jules Bucas was ordained to the priesthood in the old Rockhampton cathedral of St Patrick.(3)

The Sydney Catholic Press reported on Fr Bucas ministry in the north of the Rockhampton diocese in an article on the Townsville diocese shortly after that diocese was established.

Conditions were of a very primitive nature when Fr Jules began his missionary career. … Fr Bucas was stationed at Charters Towers, Bowen, Hughenden and Ayr. … It was often necessary for pastors to undertake long journeys to where their ministrations were needed. Up till very recent times Fr Bucas was a man of wonderful physique, untiring energy, and indomitable courage; a genuine Breton, with a fine patriotism for his native France. … One trip of his on his faithful push bike, from Bowen to Charters Towers, would make the enthusiastic hiker of to-day pause and consider. … When in charge of the Clermont parish, he was accustomed to set our once or twice a year across the St Laurence country to Mackay to visit his uncle, the venerable Father P M Bucas, who at that time was in charge of whole of the Mackay district. These trips were made on horseback.(4)

He was stationed in Emerald for some years before coming to the Brisbane climate because of health problems. Archbishop Duhig welcomed him to temporary duty in the Archdiocese. In 1927 Archbishop Duhig had purchased the Deshon family home at Coorparoo to become Our Lady of Loreto Convent. The following year Fr Jules was appointed administrator of the new parish of Cavendish Road and chaplain to the convent.

Following serious surgery he died in the Mater Misercordiae hospital on 26 August 1930 aged 68.

Archbishop Duhig presided at his funeral which was attended by forty-five priests of the archdiocese. In his fine panegyric the archbishop said:

To-day we mourn the death of a simple, cultured saintly priest, whose life, although filled with labour, was most unobtrusive. He was seldom seen in public, his name seldom appeared in the Press, but he was a man of great piety, of very deep affection for his people and for his fellow priests, and he was a man above all of very devout qualities. I speak with knowledge of the late Father Bucas extending over 25 years. I was his bishop several years ago and latterly when his health began to fail he came here as our guest, but not as an idle guest. He desired to work on and he did work on right up to the end.

Fr Jules Bucas was buried with priests of the archdiocese in Nudgee Catholic cemetery.

Footnotes
1. Daily Mercury, Mackay, 28 Aug 1930, p. 7.
2. Brisbane Courier, 27 Aug 1930, p. 17.
3. Telegraph, Brisbane, 28 Aug 1930, p. 2.
4. Catholic Press, Sydney, 11 Sep 1930, p. 39.

Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Long.