Fr Kevin Willis Hay

Birth, early life and education

Kevin Willis Hay was born on February 11, 1929. A near death tragedy marked his early years when his family was on their way to Darwin by sea. The good ship Malabar, on which they were travelling, was wrecked. There was no loss of human life but two race horses and cargo perished.

Kevin received his early education at Christian Brothers College, Wakefield Street, Adelaide. 

Seminary Life

Kevin was a member of the first intake into the newly formed St Francis Xavier Minor Seminary in 1942. A building called the "Bungalow" housed them in the grounds of Christian Brothers' College, Rostrevor. Their Rector was Fr Alan E. Johnstone, on loan from the Archdiocese of Perth. When the seminary was ready, they moved from the "Bungalow" residence, but continued their schooling at Rostrevor College.

Kevin had a "gap" year before completing three years of Scholastic Philosophy at the senior house of St Francis Xavier Seminary. He then moved to St Patrick's College, Manly, New South Wales.

A well-practised lackadaisical attitude to seminary studies and seminary discipline belied Kevin’s being "one with no guile". However he showed promise in languages – English, Latin and Greek, and continued to read Church history all his life, loved the liturgy and discovered theology as a companion for life.

Early ministry and life-changing accident

Kevin Hay was ordained on December 3, 1955, at St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, Adelaide in which parish he began his priestly ministry. He was conscientious in seeking out those who strayed and welcoming those wanting to join the Catholic faith. A former Lutheran Pastor tells of being received into the Catholic faith at 5pm on a Friday in the deserted Cathedral baptistry except for a prominent Adelaide lawyer as witness.

On their midnight run on the road through the South Parklands in Adelaide, two police officers noticed a motorcycle wedged in the fork of a tree. They soon discovered the rider, Fr Kevin Hay, had come off the bike, landed on his head and was unconscious.

Kevin suffered horrendous injuries and spent weeks in hospital and convalescence. Though still in plaster it was reckoned that he was able to do some light duties. On January 4, 1958, he was appointed assistant priest to Brighton, and then successively Salisbury and Mt Gambier.

First parish as parish priest, house of hospitality

On January 17, 1962, he became parish priest of Manoora, soon to live in Saddleworth, the new centre of the parish. The Church of St Stephen perched on the top of a craggy hill just outside Saddleworth was a relic of the Sevenhill Jesuit Mission of the mid-19th Century.  Previous parish priests had tried to have it permanently closed down. Kevin put it to the people to rally around and with an itinerant carpenter had repairs made and windows replaced and was proud enough to invite Premier Walsh to re-open the building.

The years in Saddleworth were the best of his ministry. The replacement presbytery was a former bank. Max and Thelma Huppatz and their two children were invited to share the rambling home. They acted as caretakers and housekeeper, and become tender carers of Kevin with an understanding of his needs and a love for him and his ministry. The old bank with a door onto the main street was ideal for entrance to a weekday chapel Mass and "visits".

The Saddleworth presbytery became a place of hospitality for priests of the region, for Kevin's siblings and their families.

A mobile ministry

At the beginning of 1974, after 12 years of the blessed life, Fr Hay was appointed to Penola where he had to face two schools, two school boards and two convents. It was all too much. At the beginning of 1976 he took six months long service leave.

From mid-1976, Fr Hay made himself available to look after parishes on short term basis while their pastors were on leave. Gawler, Walkerville, Greenacres, and Barossa Valley welcomed him. In January 1978, he was appointed Parish Priest of the Barossa Valley. Then in May 1978 he went to Maitland on the Yorke Peninsula as Administrator and subsequently to Mt Barker where he remained for 12 months. After supplying in Glenelg during January 1980 he returned to Maitland as Parish Priest. There he took the opportunity to bring the parish church to a high standard of refurbishment. During his stay he was appointed to the Senate of Priests (1981-1984). 

Because of recurring health problems, in August 1985 he returned to the Cathedral parish with light duties. As his health improved somewhat he was appointed Parish Priest of Hamley Bridge which gave him great joy (1987 - 1994).

Suffering in retirement

He retired in January 1994 to take up residence at Beovich Villa, but soon after Kevin was given care by the Sisters of St Joseph of their hospice at Cowandilla. He had never really recovered from the earlier accident. He suffered continual pain especially of the joints. Over the years his brother Robert and sister Rosemary brought him to a variety of professionals, but never with any improvement. The last two years of his life he had lost his speech. During this time his family made extra visits and Rosemary bought him to the clergy "reading circle" each month.

He died on May 11, 2007 and at his Funeral Mass Archbishop Philip Wilson reminded us that in those months, even when Kevin lost his voice, he was still able to proclaim the Gospel with clarity because of his fidelity to priestly ordination and his faithfulness to God.

Final resting place in the shadow of St Stephen’s

Kevin was a priest in many country parishes. He appreciated the people of the land knowing their difficulties and hardships. Like his father, he had a ready recognition of the itinerants of country towns. Those who were shearers, fruit pickers, farm hands, he welcomed with special warmth that often led to long-standing friendships. He sought the companionship of clergy at deanery meetings and other opportunities. The Mass always remained the centre of his spirituality, the strength of his own suffering.

Fr Kevin Hay was buried in the shadow of the tower of St Stephens Church at Saddleworth – the Church he restored during his 13 years of pastorate.

May he rest in peace.