Founder of Congregation of St. Pius V…
Sedevacantist Bishop Clarence Kelly (1941-2023)
Bishop Clarence Kelly, founder of the Congregation of St. Pius V (CSPV), has passed away. He died on Dec. 2 after a long battle with cancer. He was 82 years old.
According to the web site of the Congregation of St. Pius V, Bp. Kelly
was ordained to the holy priesthood in Econe, Switzerland, by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre on April 14, 1973. In 1984 he founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Our Savior. On October 19, 1993, he received episcopal consecration from Bishop Alfred Mendez, a retired Roman Catholic Bishop [of Arecibo, Puerto Rico]. Then, in 1996 Bishop Kelly founded the Congregation of St. Pius V.
Originally a priest of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), then-Fr. Kelly was superior of the U.S. North-East district.
In April of 1983, Father Kelly was one of ‘The Nine’ who were famously expelled by Abp. Lefebvre, along with other well-known names such as Fathers Donald Sanborn, William Jenkins, Anthony Cekada, Daniel Dolan, and others. (For a re-telling of that story, this free podcast has three of the Nine recalling the events leading to their expulsion.)
After their expulsion, Fr. Kelly and his eight associates established the Society of St. Pius V (SSPV), a temporary forerunner of the Congregation of St. Pius V.
In 1974, Fr. Kelly published the book Conspiracy against God and Man (Boston, MA: Western Islands). In the 1990s, he was a frequent guest on the televised program What Catholics Believe.
Every death is an important reminder that one day God will call us to judgment too, and it may be sooner than we think (see 1 Thess 5:2). Let us pray for the repose of the soul of Bishop Kelly.
Réquiem aetérnam dona ei, Dómine, et lux perpétua lúceat ei. Requiéscat in pace. Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
Image source: congregationofstpiusv.com (modified)
License: fair use
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