Thomas David Hickey

Tom Hickey died at 1.30am this (Sunday) morning at Greenslopes Hospital in Brisbane. He would have turned 80 in September this year.

Given the religious name Montfort, Tom entered the Juniorate at Mittagong in January 1952, began the Novitiate in 1955 and took First Vows on 2 July 1956. He made is Final Profession in Cairns on 9 December 1961.

Apart from his formation years, two and a half years in Casino, two years at North Sydney and Dundas, and five years at Westmead (2004-2008) Tom spent the remainder of his life north of the Tweed. Born in Byrnestown (near Maryborough and Bundaberg) he met the Brothers during his schooling at St Augustine’s in Cairns, where his father, a policeman, had been posted. Following the Novitiate Tom was sent straight to teach, without the benefit of any Scholasticate training. It was only in the early 1980’s that he completed a Bachelor of Education at the University of Queensland.

In terms of ministry Tom was versatile and adaptable. He taught Primary and Secondary classes, undertook pastoral work, acted as Chaplain, taught catechetical programmes and worked in Parish settings. He spent thirteen years working in Melanesia and the Pacific: seven years at Rigu where he was the Principal for four of those years, and then six years in Fiji where he lectured at Corpus Christi Teachers College and was Master of Scholastics. He was also a foundation member of the Toowoomba community where he served for eight years.

In all that he did, Tom exuded a missionary zeal. He was energetic and dedicated.