In military service he followed his older brothers James, Leonard, Joseph and Edmund who served in WWII.
Upon his return from the service in 1957, Father McNamara was appointed an associate pastor at St. Pius X Parish, Leicester, until 1961 when he was named an assistant director of Catholic Charities.
He returned to Catholic Charities in 1969 before being appointed as pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Clinton, in February 1970.
[1][2][3] While stationed in Cambodia, he was awarded the Medal of the Commander of Sowathara by Cambodian President Lon Nol just before his departure from Southeast Asia in July 1974.
He returned to his duties in Catholic Charities in 1982 where he served as assistant director until his retirement August 1, 1993.