May His Memory Be Eternal!

Fr. Matthew MacKay, of Katy, Texas, passed away suddenly on Monday, July 26, 2010. He was born in California on November 18, 1955 and was the son of Bruce and Suzanne MacKay. Fr. Matthew was a graduate of the Citadel, served in the US Marine Corps, was a US Navy Chaplain, and was married to Lynn Shiple on December 30, 1981. He was ordained and ministered in the Episcopal Church for seven years before converting to Orthodoxy in February 1993. He then became the founder and pastor of St. Joseph Antiochian Orthodox Church in 1994. Fr. Matthew is survived by his wife of 28 years, Lynn MacKay, and sons, Patrick and Sean.

Please see the tribute by His Grace, Bishop Thomas, the memorial card from the funeral, and listen to an interview of Fr. Matthew, where he talked about his journey to the Orthodox Church.

ORDAINED:

• Deacon,  April 1994, Bishop ANTOUN, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, San Francisco, CA

• Priest,  July 1994, Bishop Basil, Midwest Parish Life Conference, St. George Orthodox Church, Cicero, IL

• Archpriest, November 2004

EDUCATION:

• St. Stephen’s House of Study, Antiochian Village, certificate, 1994

• University of the South,  Sewanee, TN. M. Div. 1986

• The Citadel, Charleston, SC. B.S. Education & Biology 1979

• Wheeler High School, Marietta, GA. Graduate 1974

EXPERIENCE:

-Ministry-

• St Joseph Orthodox Church, Houston, TX.  Founding Pastor, 1994 to 2010

• Dean, East Texas, Diocese of Wichita and Mid America, November 2004 to 2010

• St. Silouan Orthodox Mission, College Station, TX.  Founding Priest-in-charge, 2001 to 2010

• St. Luke’s Hospital Chaplain, (C. P. E. site), Milwaukee, WS. 1993-1994

• Naval Military Chaplain, Norfolk, VA. USS John F. Kennedy, 1992-1993

• Iwakuni, Japan. USMC Air Base Chapel, 1989-1992

• St. Michael’s by the Sea Episcopal Church, Carlsbad, CA. Assistant, 1986-1989

-Secular-

• USMC, Camp Pendleton, CA. 1st Lt., Artillery, 1979-1983