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McKenna, 50, was struck and killed by a New Haven-bound train just east of the Westport train station at about 11:20 a.m. Wednesday, according to the MTA. He was identified Thursday, and MTA officials said his death is still under investigation.
"The MTA Police are investigating this a potential suicide,” MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan said. “At this point there does not appear to be any evidence of any criminality involved.”
Bishop Frank Caggiano asked for prayers for McKenna and his family.
"This is a great tragedy for our diocese, which Father Colin faithfully served throughout his priesthood. I would ask people to please pray for the repose of Father Colin's soul and the consolation of his family," Caggiano said.
McKenna served as a writer and editor in the communications office of the Diocese of Bridgeport for the past two years. He also helped out in many area parishes, celebrating Masses on weekends, the diocese said.
He was first ordained to the priesthood in May 1999 by Rev. Edward M. Egan, third Bishop of Bridgeport. A native of Westport, McKenna graduated Fairfield Preparatory School in 1982 and later graduated from the University of Vermont. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Pope John XXIII Seminary in Weston, Mass. in 1999.
McKenna's first assignment was as Parochial Vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Shelton. He also served as Sacred Heart Parish in Georgetown, St. Roch Parish in Greenwich, St. Mary Parish in Greenwich, and in many other parishes throughout the diocese.
Funeral arrangements will be announced later this week.
WestportNow.com reported that McKenna grew up in Westport. It also said that when McKenna was the pastor at Sacred Heart, parishioners knew he suffered from serious depression once gave a sermon in which he called anti-depressants “modern miracles,” WestportNow.com reported.
On Dec. 27, 2013, a woman from Maine was killed in that same vicinity. Annette White, who was found dead in the Saugatuck River, had been hit by a westbound Metro-North train while she was walking on the railroad bridge over the river. Police believe her death was an accident.
The most recent death on Metro-North's New Haven Line occurred Aug. 7 at the Cos Cob station, when 28-year-old Tamar A. Louis of Stamford lowered herself onto the tracks to retrieve a dropped item, Metro-North said. The medical examiner's office ruled her death a suicide.
Read the full WestportNow.com report here.
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