Person DS/UK/1470 Kelly; John (1902-1955); Jesuit Priest Kelly John 1902-1955 Jesuit Priest Male Born 16 June 1902 Edinburgh. Entered the English Province of the Society of Jesus 7 September 1919. Ordained as a Roman Catholic priest 7 September 1933. Final vows in the Society of Jesus 2 February 1936. Died 22 March Salisbury, Zimbabwe.

John Kelly SJ was born on 16 June in the parish of the Sacred Heart in Edinburgh, to a devout Catholic family. He and his brothers served as Altar Boys, and went to St Catherine’s Convent and then to Holy Cross Academy. He left school and went to work for the Inland Revenue, but in 1919 decided to become a Jesuit. Kelly joined the noviceship at Roehampton on 7 September 1919 and in 1921 went to St Mary’s Hall for three years’ philosophy. From 1927-1930 he taught at St John’s, Beaumont, and then went to Heythrop for theology and was ordained there on 7 September 1933. He did his Tertianship at St Beuno’s in 1934-1935, then left for South Africa. Kelly spent some time studying the local language at Emerald Hill Orphanage, Salisbury, then was appointed to Makumbi in 1937 and worked there for ten years. In about 1940 he was diagnosed with T.B., but after a period of recuperation at Emerald Hill was able to return to Makumbi. During the period of the Second World War when petrol and vehicles were hard to come by he visited the numerous out-schools on foot, leading 2 donkeys loaded with Mass and other kit, walking over 1000 miles in a year. In 1947 Kelly was appointed Superior of the African Seminary at Chishawasha and Professor of Moral Theology, posts he held until his health broke down seriously in 1953. During this period he also acted twice as Vice-Superior of the Mission, and was a Consultor of the Mission 1951-1954. Kelly’s deteriorating health meant he was transferred to the church at Chishawasha at the end of 1953, to be in charge but without active work. After a few months this proved to be too much and he moved again to the Chaplaincy of the Dominican Convent at Borrowdale where he spent his last year. Kelly’s health took a turn for the worse in February 1955 and he died on 22 March 1955. His Requiem Mass was at Salisbury Cathedral and he was buried in the Old Cemetery in Salisbury. Letters & Notices vol. 63, pp. 70-74 International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) 2nd edition - ICA 2004 ISBN 2-9521932-2-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 Yes CURIA\mallen 04/06/2021 CURIA\mallen 04/06/2021 5a35320d-6c45-4c26-b9af-47ede1406573