Rest in Peace, Fr. Frank Kelly, SDB

By Fr. Mike Mendl, SDB

Fr. Francis “Frank” Kelly, SDB, passed into eternity on the morning of December 11, 2025, in a hospital in Etobicoke, Ont. He had moved into a nursing home near the Salesian community at St. Benedict Parish in Etobicoke, about two years ago in view of his declining health but had continued his priestly ministry among the residents as long as he was able. He was 86 years old and had been a professed Salesian of Don Bosco for 66 years, a priest for more than 54 years.

Francis Thomas Kelly was a native of the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn, where he was born on June 7, 1939, to John and Gertrude (Coyne) Kelly. Frank had four siblings, Theresa, Jack, Ed, and Jerry. His brothers have predeceased him. Within a month of birth, Frank was baptized at St. Patrick’s Church in Bay Ridge, and at age 10 he was also confirmed there.

In September 1954, Frank entered Don Bosco Juniorate in Haverstraw, N.Y. He graduated there in June 1958. He entered St. Joseph’s Novitiate in Newton, N.J., as a clerical novice on September 7, 1958, and professed as a Salesian on September 8, 1959. The master of novices was Fr. Aloysius Bianchi; novices numbered 44 (as of January 1, 1959), including the future Frs. Joseph Davie, Jack Gibson, Gerard Pellegrino, David Purdy, Jeremiah Reen, Floyd Rotunno, and Francis Twardzik and Bros. Joseph Ferrari, James Gleason, Richard Pasaik, and Gerald Warner.

Bro. Frank completed a year of study at Don Bosco College in Newton in 1959-1960; he had a lot of trouble with Latin. In 1960 he was assigned to Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey to begin practical training. He returned to Newton for 1961-1962 to resume studies but still could not handle Latin. As had happened to others in that situation, he became a coadjutor brother. In 1962 Bro. Frank went to Hope Haven in Marrero, La., to continue practical training; he served there for three years.

After making his perpetual profession in Newton on August 16, 1965, Bro. Frank returned to Don Bosco College as a coadjutor to continue studies. He concluded his coursework in June 1967 and was granted a “seminary diploma” instead of a B.A. Nevertheless, in the fall he began studies toward ordination as part of the first Salesian community at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Worthington, Ohio. He remained officially a coadjutor for the first two years but as he began his third year in 1969, he became again a “cleric.” At that point, facility in Latin was no longer required for a priestly vocation. At the same time, he arranged with the PCJ and Fordham University to complete coursework toward a Master of Religious Education.

On April 3, 1971, he was ordained in Columbus and became Fr. Frank Kelly. Pastoral assignments followed: teacher and director of religious activities (DRA) at Salesian High School, New Rochelle (1971-1974), DRA at Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey (1974-1976), assistant pastor at St. Anthony Parish, Elizabeth (1976-1980), retreat preacher at Don Bosco Retreat Center, Haverstraw (1980-1984), director at Salesian Junior Seminary, Goshen (1984-1986). The highlight of his year and a half in Goshen was a visit from Mother Teresa, which profoundly affected him.

With the seminary’s closure at the end of 1985, Fr. Frank in 1986 became part of the contingent of American expatriates founding the Salesian work in the Toronto area. From 1986 to 1992, he was director of the community and DRA at Don Bosco Secondary School in Weston, Ont. An example of the impact he had comes from a DBSS alumnus, Frank Capadoccia: “Fr. Kelly was special in every possible way. His massive grin and perennial laugh made Don Bosco a special place for me and countless other lost high schoolers trying to find our way. I was lucky enough to be part of a retreat led by Fr. K and Fr. Dave Sajdak, which quite literally changed my life. It’s where I learned that I could proudly be a Catholic. It’s where I met my wife Paula, and it’s where my entire view about who I was and what I could become changed. And now, looking back, 60+ retreats that I’ve personally led, how many incredible journeys adjusted toward the light of better days ... all because of our amazingly special Fr. K!”

After a sabbatical at the Institute of Salesian Studies in Berkeley, Calif., Fr. Frank was appointed assistant pastor at St. Benedict’s Parish in Etobicoke (1993-1995), then director of the Salesian community (1995-2001) and pastor (1995-2007). From 2000 to 2006 he also served as vice provincial of the Canadian vice province.

Fr. Frank took another sabbatical year in 2007-2008 at Salesian High School in New Rochelle. He returned to Etobicoke in 2008, ministering as a spiritual director for the Salesian Family, parishioners, and many others for the remainder of his life. His impact was profound; many were convinced that he had a gift for reading hearts.

Fr. Frank’s gifts also included humor and an artistic side. Former Salesian Spencer Boudreau recalls: “Frank was a great guy with a wonderful sense of humour. On feast days in Newton he would decorate the dining room. He took great pride in doing so and always did an incredible job with limited resources.”

Salesian Cooperator Lynn Krakaur, sister of the late Fr. Dennis Donovan, has similar memories, particularly of Christmas 1984 celebrated in Goshen with the confreres and their families: “Fr. Frank loved Christmas! He had a robust laugh that was so joyful! One of our fondest memories was spending Christmas Eve at the residence in Goshen, with Fr. Frank! Our family talked about that celebration for years! I pray that they are all together (my mom, dad, Dennis, et al.) celebrating Christmas, with Fr. Frank leading a sing-along!”

Fr. Frank showed humor and self-deprecation at Goshen on a couple of occasions. He had been trying to lose some weight, but then came a feastday and a special dessert! All year he rued that baked Alaska as his downfall. Later, diagnosed with a dangerous lesion, he was scheduled for throat surgery at Sloan Kettering. He quipped, “A lot of people have wanted to slit my throat!”

From Elizabeth, N.J., Deacon Joseph Caporaso, a Cooperator, also remembers Fr. Frank’s joy and artistry, as well as his pastoral heart: “I was saddened to hear of Fr. Kelly’s passing. Fr. Kelly came to St. Anthony’s in Elizabeth with so much joy, and a very contagious laugh. He was so involved in all aspects of parish life and brought his gifts of creativity and deep spirituality to many in the parish. None of us will ever forget the magnificent Easter display erected behind the main altar of Christ rising from the tomb on Easter Sunday. His ability to touch so many of us with his charismatic personality and his warm, caring heart is without a doubt one of his many attributes. When he left for another assignment, we were all sad to see him go and often spoke about him for many years after.”

Bro. Bernard Dubé lived with Fr. Frank for nine years in Etobicoke and notes many facets of his priestly ministry: “I really met and lived with him when I was assigned to St. Benedict’s Parish in 1988…. He was always very hospitable, loving, and caring. He was an excellent preacher, healer, confessor, holy priest, and above all a wonderful Salesian. He was a prayerful man and a friend. He was my director for nine years, while he was pastor at St. Benedict’s. He was always very supportive to me.”

Antoniette Pace, a lifelong St. Benedict parishioner, pays similar tribute to Fr. Frank: “Fr. Kelly often said that the Scriptures are alive in the world, in the day-to-day stuff of life. How true these words ring as we consider the gospel readings at daily Mass on the days surrounding his death. On December 10, the gospel proclaimed, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest,” an often-quoted passage by Fr. Kelly. God only knows how burdened Fr. Kelly must have been in the events that led to the emergency room at the hospital and during the long hours that night and into the morning of December 11. On December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Marian feast very dear to Fr. Kelly’s heart, the gospel proclaimed, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.” Fr. Kelly’s life and death remind us that when we surrender our lives to the will of God, letting go of our powerlessness in the face of wearisome and heavy burdens, we become free, like Mary, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to rejoice and magnify the Lord. Thank you, Fr. Kelly for teaching us how to proclaim God with our lives!”

From early in his Salesian life, while Cardinal Francis Spellman was archbishop of New York, Fr. Frank was fondly referred to many times as Francis Cardinal Kelly. There is a story, perhaps apocryphal, that one day at Camp Don Bosco he took to the loudspeaker to say that Francis Cardinal Kelly had an announcement. Moments later, the office phone rang: “This is Father Provincial, and I have a message for Cardinal Kelly.” Like Queen Victoria, the provincial was not amused.

Fr. Kelly is survived by his sister Theresa Kelly.

Toronto Auxiliary Bishop Ivan Camiller will celebrate his funeral.

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS

Wake at St. Benedict Parish, 2194 Kipling Avenue, Etobicoke, Ontario

Thursday, December 18, 2025

• 3:30 p.m. – Reception of the Body
• 6:30 p.m. – Evening Prayer

Funeral Mass
Friday, December 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.

Reception in the church hall following the Mass

The body will be brought to Montreal after the Mass.

Saturday, December 20, 2025

• 8:00 a.m. – Mass for Salesian Family members only, Don Bosco Youth Centre, Montreal
• 10:00 a.m. – Burial, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Cemetery