Born in Glen Innes, New South Wales, Simonds was educated in Deepwater, Blacktown and then Sydney Boys' High School before studying for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Manly.
[2] Posted to Bega, Simonds served as a curate before he returned to St Patrick's Seminary as a professor of sacred scripture and Greek.
Simonds received his episcopal consecration on 6 May from Archbishop Giovanni Panico, with bishops Norman Gilroy and Patrick Joseph Farrelly serving as co-consecrators.
During this period, Simonds played an active role in post World War II healing, including Catholic migration and the sending of orphaned children to Australia.
Attending the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965, he succeeded Daniel Mannix as Archbishop of Melbourne on 6 November 1963, becoming the first native Australian to hold that office.
[3] Ill-health and age reduced Simonds' own period as Melbourne's archbishop, suffering several strokes while in office and his vision greatly deteriorated.