Rev. Joseph L. Kelly, CSSp

Visiting Hours:  Wednesday, June 1st, 2-4:30 & 7-9:30 p.m. at our West Sayville funeral home.

Funeral Service:  Thursday, June 2nd, 11:30 a.m. at the funeral home.

Interment to follow at St. Lawrence Cemetery, Sayville.

Fr. Joseph Kelly, C.S.Sp. of Bethel Park, a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, died peacefully May 21st at St. Clair Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA.  He was 91 years old.

Father Kelly was born September 16, 1924 in Philadelphia PA.  He professed his vows as a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit on August 15, 1945 at Holy Ghost Novitiate in Ridgefield, CT and was ordained to the Priesthood September 15, 1950 at St. Mary’s Seminary, Ferndale in Norwalk CT.

Father was assigned to the missions East Africa where was destined to minister for fifty-two years.  He worked in various positions in parochial ministry in Arusha and Moshi, Dioceses of Tanzania and Usa River, one of the missions in Arusha; he started AMECEA Documentary Service in Nairobi, Kenya which shared the pastoral situations, experiences between the dioceses of Eastern African and with the universal Church. He was Director of Development for the Catholic University of Eastern Africa and in 1997 was appointed head of the Spiritan Planning and Development Office for the Holy Spirit Fathers in Arusha Tanzania.  Fr. Kelly returned to the States in 2003 and was a resident of Libermann Hall the Spiritan Retirement Community in Bethel Park.

Fr. Kelly was preceded in death by his parents Patrick J. and Margaret Conway Kelly and his sisters, Mrs. Ruth Bicknell and Sister Martha Marie, O.P. He is survived by his sister Mrs. Kenneth (Eileen) Rehm of Sayville NY, nieces, nephews and many extended family members and friends.

There will be viewing in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel at the Spiritan Center, 6230 Brush Run Road, Bethel Park on Saturday May 28th at 9:00-10:45am with the Funeral Mass being celebrated at 11:00 am.  There will be visitation at Raynor & D’Andrea Funeral home in West Sayville, 2-4:30 & 7-9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 1st .  A prayer will be held at the funeral home at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 2nd.  Interment will follow in St. Lawrence Cemetery, Sayville NY.

In memory of Fr. Kelly donations may be made to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit designated for retirement or for the educations of future Holy Spirit Fathers and Brothers, 6230 Brush Run Road, Bethel Park PA 15102.

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