- ST.
NORBERT ABBEY
- DE
PERE, WISCONSIN, U.S.A.
- +
+ + + + + + + +
- OUR
LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION ABBEY
- DAYLESFORD,
PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A.
- +
+ + + + + + + +
- IMMACULATE
CONCEPTION PRIORY
- CLAYMONT-BAYVIEW,
DELAWARE, U.S.A.
- Rev.
Joseph A. Kelly, O. Praem.
- b. Wednesday,
Sept. 13,
1922 – d. Friday, June 9, 2000
Our
brother Joseph Kelly was born in
Philadelphia
in 1922. After graduating from
Southeast Catholic and a year at the college, he joined the Order in 1941 and
was solemnly professed in 1946. During
the intervening years, Joe was a part-time teacher at St. Norbert High and spent
the summers at Camp
Tivoli
, U.W. Madison, and the University
of
Pennsylvania.
In
January of 1947, Joe filled in the gap at Central Catholic that was created by
the accidental deaths of fraters Walt Ziegler and Tom Filbrandt.
That fall, he was transferred to Archmere, and in 1950, became athletic
director. From 1956 to 1958, Joe was
auxiliary chaplain at Valley Forge Army Hospital
and at Villanova University, from where he earned an M.S. in library science.
During those summers he did Indian missionary appeals.
In
1958, Joe was appointed to Bishop Neumann, where he taught senior religion, was
librarian, and was moderator of the Millay Alumni Association, and was house
superior from 1962 until 1965. He
spent ’65 to ’66, at Abbot Pennings and at the abbey as librarian.
From 1966 until 1971, Joe was assistant at St. Norbert Parish in Paoli,
1971 as chaplain of Nazareth Hospital in Philadelphia, 1972 as associate at St.
Titus in East Norristown, Pennsylvania, 1973 to 1986 as Pastor of St. Matthew in
Dauphin, Pennsylvania, and 1975 to 1977, at Queen of Peace in Millerburg, PA.
Joe
retired to Archmere with the group of Norbertines who had separated themselves
from Daylesford in 1996.
After a lingering illness, he died there on
Friday, June 9, 2000 at the
age of 80, and is buried in All Saints Cemetery in
Wilmington,
Delaware.
