He was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Argyll and the Isles at St Columba's Cathedral in Oban on 10 July 1980.

[2] After ordination Toal served in Daliburgh and Ardkenneth on South Uist, Campbeltown and Benbecula before being appointed spiritual director at the Royal Scots College in Salamanca, Spain, in 1999.

[citation needed] Toal was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles by the Holy See on 16 October 2008 and consecrated to the episcopate on 8 December 2008.

Matthew Despard complained about what he called a culture of homosexual bullying within the Catholic Church and alleged that higher-ranking clergy ignored or facilitated abuse.

Parishioner, Geraldine Penches who was loudly applauded by others in the congregation described Matthew Despard as, "a very honest man" adding, "This is more scandal to rock the Catholic church which has to be hushed up.