Members of the St. Michael Parish community gathered together at St. Joseph Church in Gardiner on Saturday, September 6, to honor Clarence McKay, a man who has served the church community for most of his 92 years.

"We wanted to say that we appreciate your witness as a committed Catholic in this parish, a committed Catholic to our diocese, a committed citizen to the community of Gardiner," said Father Frank Morin, pastor.

Born in 1922, McKay became an altar server at St. Joseph after he made his first Communion and confirmation.

In 1943, he was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II and served as an assistant to the Catholic chaplain during the June 1944 Battle of Saipan in the central Pacific

When he returned home, he resumed his parish ministry, serving as a pastoral associate to Father Michael McDonald and Father Clement Thibodeau. Father Thibodeau, now retired and living in Caribou, traveled to Gardiner to concelebrate the Mass honoring McKay.

McKay also served as the chair of the St. Joseph Liturgical Renovation Committee, which oversaw church renovations following the Second Vatican Council. He chaired the St. Joseph Worship & Spirituality Commission and served for many years on the St. Joseph Pastoral Council and, later, the St. Michael Pastoral Council. He has prepared the intercessions for the prayers of the faithful for the past 40 years and has served as a reader at Mass for nearly 50 years.

Still possessing a strong voice, he shared the second reading during the Mass at which he was honored.

In addition to serving the parish community, McKay also served as diocesan communications director, having been appointed by Bishop Peter Gerety (now Archbishop emeritus of the Archdiocese of Newark) in 1969. He held the position until 1984 and continued assisting on a part-time basis until 2004. Many of the local photographs seen in the former diocesan newspaper Church World were McKay's work. Following his retirement, he was appointed by Bishop Joseph Gerry to the Diocesan Pastoral Council.

For his many years of service, Pope Francis bestowed his apostolic blessing on McKay, which was read by Deacon Jeffrey Lewis and presented to McKay during the Mass.