Obituary: Fr Colin, Renaissance man

The
Catholic Weekly
Online

Sydney
22 February 2004

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Obituary: Fr Colin, Renaissance man

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Obituary: Fr Colin, Renaissance man

Fr Colin McKay 1918–2002

By Sr Anita Murray CSB

The recent anniversary of the beatification of Mary MacKillop in 1995 brings to mind a priest who was closely involved in her beatification process from the time the committee working for her canonisation was reconvened by Cardinal Gilroy in 1951. Fr Colin McKay, who died on October 1, 2002, was in many ways an extraordinary man who involved himself in many and various priestly pursuits.

He was born in Randwick in 1918, one of the seven children of Austin and Lilian McKay, and received his primary education at St Columbanus’ School, in Strickland St, Rose Bay, which was run by the Sisters of Mercy from Monte Sant’ Angelo.

Colin was enrolled as a boarder at the new St John’s College, Woodlawn, Lismore – designed by his architect father – but then transferred to Waverley College, where he completed his Leaving as a day boy in 1935.

He worked for a while as a junior with the Texas Oil Company but in 1937 became the first student for the priesthood accepted for Sydney by Archbishop (later Cardinal) Gilroy.

Soon after his ordination in 1944, Colin McKay and Fr Pat Murphy (later to be the first Bishop of Broken Bay) were chosen to study abroad. Fr Colin obtained a degree in Canon Law at Maynooth College in Ireland and also spent a year in Rome studying the Canon Law workings of the Rota.

He returned to Sydney, where he served in the parishes of Concord and Lewisham before joining the staff of St Mary’s Cathedral.

As well as being priest-in-charge of the district of Woolloomooloo he spent some years as secretary to Cardinal Gilroy.

In 1959, Fr Colin became chaplain to Holy Cross College, Ryde, where he lived in a cottage and where he became a valued, honorary member of the Patrician Brothers community. He stayed there until his retirement to the Little Sisters of the Poor at Randwick in 2000.

It was during his years at Ryde that, as well as his chaplaincy work at Holy Cross, he became chaplain to the hospitals of Callan Park and Broughton Hall, later joined and called Rozelle.

He was a skilled and compassionate counsellor to many and initiated the highly regarded St John of God Institute of Counselling where very many people learnt counselling skills. In many ways Fr Colin McKay was a Renaissance man with multiple talents and interests. He was a true scholar, a cultured man, and a respected sportsman with special talents at cricket and rugby.

He is also remembered for his humour, his gracious manner and for his dedication to the priesthood where he made all he came in contact with feel special and important.