Born in Flushing, Queens, Monsignor Kain was baptized at Most Precious Blood Church in Long Island City. After studies and formation at Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception, Brooklyn, and the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Huntington and after earning an STB in sacred theology from the Catholic University of America, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Bryan McEntegart at Saint James Cathedral on May 29, 1965. He later earned an MA in counseling from Manhattan College in 1970 and an STM in sacred theology from the New York Theological Seminary in 1976.
After his ordination in 1965, Monsignor Kain served as the chaplain of the Bishop McDonnell Summer Camp in Commack, New York. From there, he was the parochial vicar of Saint Catherine of Siena in St. Albans, Queens (1965-1969) and served as Chaplain for the Newman Center of Kingsborough Community College (1969-1976) and Queensborough Community College (1976-1985).
After a sabbatical at the Pontifical North American College in Rome in 1985, Monsignor Kain was made the pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Queens Village. Pope Saint John Paul II named then-Father Kain as a Prelate of Honor with the title of Reverend Monsignor in 1989, and prelate of honor in 2007. Upon completion of his assignment as pastor in Queens Village, Monsignor Kain was made the pastor of St. Ephrem, Dyker Heights, until his retirement in 2015.
While serving at St. Ephrem, Monsignor Kain also served as a member of Xaverian’s Board of Trustees and later returned as a part-time chaplain until moving to the Bishop Mugavero Residences 2021.
Sal Tinervia ’97, Campus Minister at Xaverian, stated of Monsignor Kain, “He was an avid supporter of our school and an inspiration to our students and enjoyed coming to Xaverian weekly. He loved preparing students for the Soup Kitchen Retreats, celebrating the Liturgy, and delivering donations to The Bridge to Life in honor of Respect Life. Students looked forward to school on Tuesdays, knowing they would be seeing Monsignor and hearing his stories. He truly modeled Christ's love to everyone he met. He was adored by all.”
Bishop Bootkoski, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey, and a friend of Monsignor Kain for 45 years, said in the homily he delivered at the funeral Mass, “Ministry was important to him. He kept that focus, always getting insight into Jesus Christ. He was a good and faithful servant, a man of God.”
Monsignor Kain is survived by his sisters Elizabeth and Cathleen, brother-in-law Michael, six nieces and nephews, their spouses and ten children.