Father Mac
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Msgr. Charles McNamee—universally known as “Father Mac”—has been involved with Scouting for nearly 70 years,
including a 42-year tenure as diocesan Director of Scouting. At Camp Lowden, he has presided over Mass during
summer camp on Tuesday evenings for many years. In the 1960s he played a key role in organizing the first
religious retreats. A native of Chicago, Msgr. McNamee was raised as a “city boy.” He attended his first Scout camp—Owasippe—in 1937 where he recalls going to Mass outside for the first time. He became hooked on both Scouting and camping, and returned to serve on the camp staff there. When he was in the seminary in the late 1940s he spent two summers as a counselor at Camp Marymount, a Catholic camp near Nashville, Tennessee. |
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Msgr. McNamee was ordained to the priesthood May 20, 1950, after studies at Quigley Preparatory Seminary in
Chicago, St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, and St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore. Later he obtained a
Master’s Degree in education from Loyola University in Chicago, and studied Canon Law at Gregorian University
in Rome. He has served parishes in Rockford, Elgin, Morrison, Rock Falls, and Pecatonica. While at St. Lawrence Parish in Elgin he was assistant principal and director of guidance at St. Edward Central Catholic High School. That began a period of more than 40 years of service in diocesan high schools as teacher, administrator, and guidance counselor. |
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In 1954, only four years after he was ordained, he was appointed diocesan Director of Scouting by Bishop
Raymond P. Hillinger. “It came as a surprise,” he recalls. His predecessor gave him a little notebook from
the diocese’s original director, which he passed on to his successor, Msgr. William Schwartz, in 1996. Having helped individual Catholic Scouts earn the Ad Altare Dei emblem, he saw his appointment as an opportunity to “encourage young people in all parts of the diocese” to earn that emblem and others. In the mid-1950s Bishop Lane asked Father McNamee to revive the practice of a diocesan-wide presentation of Scouting’s religious emblems. On Scout Sunday, February 9, 1959, Scouts, their leaders, and their families packed St. James Pro-Cathedral, making the presentation of Scout emblems that day the first major event in the diocese’s year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary. The tradition continues to this day in St. Peter’s Cathedral, and has expanded to include younger boys in Cub Scouts, as well as girls who are members of the Girl Scouts. Msgr. McNamee received the Vigil Honor in 1956 and the Silver Beaver Award in 1960 prior to joining our council. He loves Scouting and enjoys the great outdoors, stating: Camps and trips are great opportunities to bring our Lord to Catholic boys and girls and adults in an informal and elementary setting. But we also have contact with non-Catholics, so these are opportunities to bring our Lord to these people and to allow them to grow with Him too. |
 Father Mac at Camp Lowden |
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Other appointments he has held over the years include chaplain of Mt. St. Francis Provincial House in Rockford,
associate director of Catholic Cemeteries, auditor, vice-officialis, and promoter of justice in the Tribunal,
secretary-treasurer of the Clergy Relief Society, bishop’s Secretary for Retired Priests, Director of Vianney Oaks,
and part-time counselor at Boylan Central Catholic High School. In 1986 he was appointed Chancellor of the diocese. In 1995 he was elevated to the level of monsignor. He was quoted at the time, “It was a pleasant surprise and I am grateful for the recognition from our Holy Father [Pope John Paul II] and Bishop [Thomas G.] Doran.” After serving as Director of Scouting continuously for 42 years, Msgr. McNamee retired from that post in 1996 and as Chancellor in 1999. He has returned to Camp Lowden each summer for the Tuesday evening Masses, and in addition he helps with the annual religious retreat, Order of the Arrow conclaves and other functions. Msgr. McNamee has an extensive encyclopedia of Scout songs and lore with which he has entertained at campfires in all the activities which he was involved. |
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