Father Joseph A. Kelly S.J.

My memory of Father Kelly begins in 1970 when I first entered Saint Peter's. During my tenure with the Argus Eyes Dramatic Society, Father Kelly was always in attendance at a performance of one of our productions, and always was one of our biggest supporters. I left SPC in 1973 to pursue acting as a career. In 1994 while doing SHOWBOAT on Broadway, I happened to attend a 5pm Mass at St. Malachy's (the Actor's Chapel) between shows. It was Father Kelly who was celebrating it. I took...

Father Joe:

It was my privilege to meet you and greet you in the very first moment of your arrival in America.

Now, Joe won't you please reciprocate by arranging to meet me in the very first moments of my arrival at the gates of Heaven, to see me through the various requirements for a speedy entry. I know you can do it. You were always a close friend of God's and we know that He love's you!

Val and I send our love to both of you.

...

I knew Joe since his days in Tullamore I called his cell phone last week to offer Christmas greetings and wishes. It did not answer and now I know why. One of a kind he would do whatever he could for anyone who needed him. He will continue his calling helping mankind now from a higher place . I only wish I had called him earlier. His anecdotes and experiences would fill a book. We and all who knew him will miss him.
OLiver J Lawless MD and family Washington DC and Tullamore

Dearest Father Kelly, How blessed and fortunate are we who knew you. Your grace, charm and love will be sorely missed. We lift our hearts to the Lord..........

Kaki Miller

My family and I are saddened by Father Kelly's passing and would like to convey our condolences to the good Father's family.

Class of 1980

Let me weigh on Fr. Joe Kelly and his time in Times Square while he was the Parochial Vicar of St. Malachy's Church. Fr. Joe became a great friend to the entire Broadway Community: the Producers, theater owners (he was a favorite of the late Jerry Schoenfeld Chairman of the Shubert Organization ..who, we are all convinced, are solving all of our problems with Fr. Kelly, as we speak... in Heaven), actors & actresses, stagehands, opera divas, ushers, restaurant owners (I bumped into him as...

I first met Father Kelly when I was a student at Saint Peter's College in the late 1960's. I was one of the"guys" who introduced Father to Mc Sorley's in New York. He was truly not only a "real" Priest but a gentleman and a person to whom you
could turn in time of need.
After oh so many years I have written a Musical which has a very good chance of getting to Broadway
and I had ever so much wantd Father Kelly to bless the production.
I guess now he'll bless it while sitting at the...

My most hearfelt sympathy to Fr. Joe's family and all whose lives he touched. I was a member of St. Malachy's for 15 years and was so happy when he came to our church. I moved away from New York four years ago and one of the last people I ran into on the street the day before I left town was Fr. Joe. I felt so blessed to see him one more time and he sent me on my way with his blessings for a wonderul new life. I have carried the memory of that meeting with me and have thought of him often...

My oldest memory of Father Kelly is St. Patrick's Day, 1973, when he joined five or six of us students on the stage of the Swan Song, St. Peter's coffee shop hang-out for the campus 'folkies,' belting out Great Hits of The Clancy Brothers. It didn't feel like one of the faculty priests was singing with us. He seemed more like just another recently arrived paddy from one of the local Irish bars who just happened to have an unusual day job.

He's not the only one missing from that crew...