Vale Fr Kevin Hay

"Those who have spent some time with Fr Kevin would be aware of his great knowledge of so many things, of science, of history, and especially as a great storyteller." - Fr Wim

A funeral mass in memory of Rev Kevin Nelson Hay was held in St Thomas Aquinas’ Church, Springwood on 11 September, 2015.

“It was a glorious spring day, which was fitting for a priest who not only enjoyed this season but fell in love with the Blue Mountains from his first day as a student of St Columba’s Seminary in 1943,” Deacon James Phelan reflected.

Fr Kevin was a retired priest of the Diocese of Parramatta, who died at the age of 85 on 3 September at Our Lady of Consolation Home, Rooty Hill.

He was born on 26 June, 1930 and ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Gilroy on 24 July, 1954 in St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney.

His years of ministry covered many parishes in the then Archdiocese of Sydney with a number of years spent in the Dioceses of Armidale, Sydney, Parramatta, and Perth.

He served in the parishes of Ermington, Concord, Gladesville, Guildford, Katoomba, Manly, Gymea, Neutral Bay, Camperdown, and Blackheath.

Fr Wim Hoekstra provided a moving homily at the funeral mass for the well-loved man. “Indeed, I first came to meet Fr Kevin when I was a seminarian in my last year at Manly, just before my ordination to the Diaconate. I had chosen to do my pastoral work at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown, and so Kevin, as Parish priest there, was my supervisor,” Fr Wim explained.

“He loved the Blue Mountains, and was an active member of the Catholic Fr Wim Hoekstra “I could have listened all day to his fount of knowledge.” Bushwalking Club. He especially loved St Columba’s College in Springwood, where seminarians studied philosophy till their move to theology at Manly, so I wasn’t at all surprised he asked for his funeral to be in Springwood,” Fr Wim said.

“Throughout his 61 years as a priest, he offered the Mass faithfully. Indeed, many who have visited him at Our Lady of Consolation will have seen the little altar he had for his private mass,” Fr Wim noted.

“Those who have spent some time with Fr Kevin would be aware of his great knowledge of so many things, of science, of history, and especially as a great storyteller. His homilies were brilliant, as testified by those who were his parishioners. I actually could have listened all day to his fount of knowledge.”

Fr Kevin is remembered especially by his family, fellow Religious, and carer, Debbie Hicks.

For more images of the event, please visit: www.flickr.com/parracatholic/albums

Read Daily
* indicates required

RELATED STORIES