Patrick Kelly (bishop)

Patrick Kelly (April 16, 1779 – October 8, 1829) was an Irish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Richmond (1820–1822) and Bishop of Waterford and Lismore (1822–1829).

Kelly was born in Kilkenny, and educated at the Irish College in Lisbon.^[1] He was ordained to the priesthood on July 18, 1802.^[2] He then served as a curate in Inistioge before teaching mathematics, philosophy, and theology at St. John's Seminary at Birchfield, near Kilkenny, where he eventually became president.^[3]

On July 19, 1820, Kelly was appointed the first Bishop of the newly-erected Diocese of Richmond, Virginia, in the United States.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following August 24 from Archbishop John Thomas Troy, O.P., with Archbishop Daniel Murray and Bishop Kyran Marum serving as co-consecrators.^[2] Upon his arrival, he took up residence at Norfolk, where there was a greater number of Catholics than at the episcopal see in Richmond, in January 1821.^[4]

During his brief two-year-long tenure, Kelly opened the first Catholic school in the diocese and engaged in missionary efforts.^[5] However, due to factions and various other difficulties, he petitioned the Holy See to be relieved of his charge.^[4] Kelly was named Bishop of Waterford and Lismore in his native Ireland on February 9, 1822,^[2] and later died there at age 50.

References