Fr. Frank Kelly SDB
June 7, 1939 to December 11, 2025
Born on June 7, 1939 at Brooklyn, NY to John Joseph Kelly and Gertrude Coyne. He entered the Salesian novitiate at Newton on September 7th, 1958 and made his first profession as a Salesian on September 8th, 1959. After his Theological studies at Columbus OH, he was ordained a priest on April 3rd, 1971. He started his ministry here at Etobicoke in 1993 as associate pastor and became pastor in 1995 till 2007. He was also the director of the Salesian community at Etobicoke from 1995 to 2001, Vice Provincial from 2000 - 2006. Since 2008 he had been a resident member of the salesian community at Etobicoke.
Funeral Arrangements
Thursday 18th December 2025
3.30pm - Visitation at St. Benedicts Church
6.30pm - Vespers
7.30pm - Christmas Novena Mass (Basement)
Friday 19th December 2025
10.00am - Funeral Mass at St. Benedicts
Followed by reception in the hall
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
Memorial Offerings
Offerings in loving memory of Fr. Frank Kelly may be made in support of the Salesian formation of young men for the priesthood to: Don Bosco Mission Office~Fr. Kelly
Father 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 Father 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 Cappadocia, 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 Father K!
Frank Capadoccia
“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.”
Antoniette Pace
“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.”
Bro. Bernard Dubé
“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.”
Deacon Joseph Caporaso