Tom, I can't beleive this is the second post to this site. Uncle Tom was my Mothers uncle, and he was a legend. - Paul Poussart Post below copied from third party site; http://www.maristfathers.org.au/Pages/007-2010-news.htm Fr Thomas Gregory Maloney was born in Lismore, NSW, in 1921, the eighth of eleven children, including brother Steve who also became a Marist priest. After primary schooling at Blakebrook state school and Our Lady Help of Christians, South Lismore, Tom moved to the Marist Brothers at Lismore before completing his final two years at St. John’s College, Woodlawn. He entered the Marist seminary, Toongabbie, NSW, in 1940 and was professed as a Marist on Feb 1942 and ordained priest at St Patrick’s, Church Hill, in Sep 1948 by Marist Bishop Thomas Wade. After ordination Fr Tom was appointed to the staff of St Patrick’s then in 1953 joined the group of Marist 'home missioners' based at Ashgrove, Qld. In 1956 he became the first Marist parish priest of Redcliffe, Perth, WA. Six years later he moved to the parish of Claremont, Tasmania, and then in 1965 to Burnie parish. In 1971 Fr Tom began a new phase of life by becoming chaplain to Marist College, Ashgrove, Qld, where he was a popular presence amongst the Marist Brothers and their students for the next 18 years especially as cricket coach and commentator. 1988 was a year of renewal and professional development which included programs in the USA and New Zealand before a move to the Marist community at Lismore in 1989. Here Fr Tom took on the role of chaplain to the Lismore Base and St Vincent’s Hospitals. He retired from this role in 2007 brought on by poor mobility and circulation but maintaining a remarkable ministry of visiting the sick. For his great hospital work Fr Tom was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in the Australia Day honours of 2007. May he rest in peace. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With such a long association with the Marist Brothers and being affiliated to the Brothers' Sydney province, Fr Tom is remembered fondly through this message from Br Raymond Mulvogue FMS, quoting from Br Chris Wade's tribute to Fr Tom in Ashgrove's 'Blue & Gold', 1987: "When Tom arrived at Ashgrove, Billy McMahon was Prime Minister and Australians were still fighting in Vietnam! In Fr Tom we see exemplified in many ways the kind of priest that Fr Colin wishes to give to the Church when he founded the Marist Fathers - a priest who would win people by goodness and tenderness, who would excuse the failings of people, who would blend in and become part of the local Church, who would work hard and be without airs and graces, who would take any and every opportunity to do good. Tom's faith is real, genuine and boundless. He loves the Church and its Sacraments and rituals. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Tom's ministry, though, is his devotion to the sick, dying and the deceased and this has been quite an extraordinary part of his ministry. We Brothers count ourselves especially fortunate to have Tom live with us, not as a stanger but as an integral part of our community these past 17 years. He is a character. A storyteller. A conversationalist. A confidante. A sports coach. A traveller. He manages to combine the prudence of the dove with the cunning of the serpent - especially when it's a question of advancing Ashgrove and downing a certain other school. There was sadness at leaving, but also recognition that the time was ripe, and happiness at the prospect of retiring in familiar surroundings.....a tribute to a good priest who became a byword in the continuing story that is Ashgrove."

I first met Tom when the girl I was to marry Leonee Woodbury was a good Catholic while I was a Protestant. Leonee was insistent that she would have only Father Tom marry us and he did .... in front of the alter ! This was close to 50 years ago and those of my vintage will appreciate that many "mixed" marriages were performed but often behind the alter. Tom saw love as more important than procedure and I will never forget his magnanimity. Tom also married our second son Nicholas. He dropped everything to help comfort me at my Dad's funeral. R.I.P. Tom - you were a good man.