The Rev. Jim Roy and Rev. Chris Piselli have stepped out of retirement to help with Roman Catholic Masses and funerals in Corpus Christi and Christ the King parishes.

Rev. Philip A. Tracy, pastor of the local Catholic parishes, said that Rev. Arthur Pechillo of Camden was to join the local parishes on Aug. 1. But Pechillo became ill, and Bishop Richard Malone of the Archdiocese of Portland is to name a replacement, Tracy said.

That leaves three priests -- Tracy, Rev. Bruce Sikel and Rev. Daniel Baillargeon -- to take care of the eight Corpus Christi and the three Christ the King churches. That's 18 weekend Masses plus certain weekday Masses, in addition to funerals and weddings.

"Very graciously, Father Piselli and Father Roy have stepped in to help," Tracy said.

Tracy has announced that Sikel is assigned, at least temporarily, to Christ the King churches. A Madison native, Sikel grew up attending Mass at St. Sebastian's.

Piselli has been doing Mass at the summer chapel, St. Helena's, in Belgrade. He has been filling in for years, since his "retirement."

Roy, a Winslow native who served for 38 years as a missionary in Africa, has been serving mostly at St. John's but at other area churches as well.

-- Larry Grard