Area Priest To Appear On Millionaire Show

SHELTON (AP) — One contestant on the game show ``Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’’ may have a little divine guidance on his side.

The Rev Colin McKenna, a Roman Catholic priest at St Joseph’s Church, is scheduled to appear on the show taped January 9.

Father McKenna hopes to win money to help his church and the parish school, some area charities and his family.

``It’s already spent,’’ Father McKenna joked.

The priest was ordained a year and a half ago by New York Archbishop Edward Egan, who was the Bishop of Bridgeport at the time. (Father McKenna was assigned to St Joseph’s Church, where the Rev Robert Weiss was the pastor. Two weeks later Father Weiss was named pastor of  St Rose Church in Newtown.)

Father McKenna, 36, asked Archbishop Egan to be one of his ``lifelines’’  — friends he could call if stumped by a question.

Egan’s office said Friday that the archbishop is unable to be a lifeline, but a colleague in the Bridgeport Diocese will help instead.

``The archbishop did say Father McKenna is one of the finest young priests he knows, and he probably won’t even need a lifeline,’’ said Joseph Zwilling, communications director for the New York Archdiocese.

Father McKenna said he qualified by accident, while he was trying to help his brother, Gene McKenna, get on the show.

He had assembled a group of people, including some children, to try simultaneously to telephone the show and get registered for a tryout.

The agreement was that if anyone got through, they would pass the telephone to Gene McKenna so he could sign up.

One caller got through and Gene McKenna was on the telephone registering when another caller got through. The child handed the telephone to the priest, who also signed up.

The brothers traveled to New York for a tryout quiz and video auditions. The priest, who wore his Roman collar and black cleric’s suit, was chosen, but his brother was not.

``I think my Roman collar was a real advantage, because I think they’re looking for new contestants,’’ Father McKenna said.

Trisha Miller, a publicist for the show, said Father McKenna was not chosen just because he is a priest.

``Part of the reason why we did this city search was to find some people who have not been represented on the show before. That may have had something to do with it,’’ Ms Miller said.

Ms Miller could not recall another priest being on the show. The episode featuring Father McKenna is tentatively scheduled to air January 18.

Father McKenna said any money he wins will help pay for a new roof and other renovations at St Joseph’s parish school; cover expenses at the church; and aid the St Vincent de Paul Society and Spooner House, a homeless shelter.

Something also would go to Father McKenna’s family, and to his brother, who is an avid fan of the show.

``He hates me now,’’ Father McKenna said. ``He’s getting over it, but I did invite him to be my guest.’’

The show allows each contestant to bring a guest to sit in the audience for moral support.