KELLY, Rev. Patrick John, SFM - (1933 – 2020) - It is with sadness that the Scarboro Missions community announces the death of Fr. Patrick Kelly, SFM, on September 29, 2020, at Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto, Ontario.
He was in his 87th year.
Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, on September 4, 1933, Fr. Kelly was predeceased by his parents, William E. and Catherine E. (Higgins) Kelly, and siblings J. William Kelly, and Sr. Catherine Kelly and Sr. Margaret Kelly, both members of the Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception.
After attending school in Saint John, New Brunswick, Fr. Pat went on to study at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, graduating in 1954.
He entered St. Francis Xavier Seminary in Scarborough, Ontario, in 1958 and was ordained for the Scarboro Foreign Mission Society on December 20, 1958, by Most Rev. A.B. Leverman in the Diocese of Saint John. After ordination, Fr. Pat was assigned to Scarboro's new mission in Southern Leyte, Philippines, serving the parish communities of St Bernard and later Cabalian.
In the early 1980s he went to Bukidnon on the island of Mindanao, serving the parishes of Linabo and later San Fernando. Fr. Pat stood with the people during the turbulent, often dangerous years of the Marcos dictatorship. He strengthened and encouraged lay participation and leadership, helping the struggling peoples to build faith and hope. He also accompanied the people as they fasted and protested to protect the forests and their livelihood.
After 34 years in the Philippines, Pat was recalled to Canada in 1993 to work with a team of Scarboro priests and laity in promoting missionary vocations in Canada.
In 1996, Fr. Pat was assigned to Guyana serving small riverside parish communities of Amerindian peoples.
In 2000 he returned to the Philippines, working in the diocese of Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao. Part of that time he was part of a Redemptorist mission team of priests and laity serving small, rural Christian communities.
Returning to Canada in 2009, with his overseas mission service at an end, Fr. Pat hoped to continue to work with the people of the Philippines and began serving Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Scarborough, Ontario, where the majority of parishioners are Filipino-Canadians.
In January 2015, due to declining health, Fr. Pat moved to the Houses of Providence in Scarborough, Ontario. We owe a deep debt of gratitude to the staff for the wonderful care Fr. Pat received there.
Due to COVID-19, the Scarboro community will celebrate Fr. Pat's life privately and he will be laid to rest at Queen of the Clergy Cemetery at St Augustine's Seminary in Scarborough.
Fr. Pat is survived by his sister-in-law Kathleen, nephews Michael, Stephen, and Patrick, and many grand and great-grandnieces and nephews.
May he rest in peace.
{fastsocialshare