Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 31 août 1894 à Bearnacreagh dans le diocèse de Clonfert, Irlande membre de la SMA le 1er novembre 1918 prêtre le 29 juin 1921 évêque le 2 juin 1940 décédé le 18 août 1991

1921-1926 missionnaire en Nigeria Occidentale 1926-1929 Dromantine, professeur de morale 1929-1940 missionnaire en Nigeria Occidentale 1940-1943 vicaire apostolique de la Nigeria Occidentle 1943-1950 vicaire apostolique de Asaba-Benin 1950-1973 évêque de Benin City 1973-1985 Wilton, Cork, retiré 1985-1991 Blackrock Road, Cork, retiré décédé à Cork, Irlande, le 18 août 1991, à l'âge de 96 ans

Patrick Joseph Kelly was born at Bearnacreagh, Aughrim, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, in the diocese of Clonfert, on 31 August 1894. He died in the Regional hospital, Cork, on 18 August 1991.

Patrick was born in the parish of Ballinasloe and went to primary school in the parish of Aughrim. He then attended 'The Pines' college, Ballinasloe, forerunner to St. Josephs, Garbally Park (the diocesan seminary) until March 1912. At that time he was required to work a new family farm. Patrick always wanted to be a missionary priest and when the opportunity arose in 1915 when he could be spared at home he joined the Society's apostolic school at Wilton, Cork, to complete his secondary education (1915 1916). He studied philosophy and theology in the major seminary of the Irish Province, at Blackrock Road, Cork. Patrick was received as a member of the Society on 1 November 1918. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Thomas Broderick, vicar apostolic of Western Nigeria, in the public chapel adjoining the seminary, on 29 June 1921. He was one of a group of ten ordained on that day. Patrick was to enjoy an active ministry of seventy years duration. Another confrere ordained on that day, Francis Joseph McGovern, was to die in Liberia within a year on 30 March 1922.

After ordination Patrick was assigned to the vicariate of Western Nigeria, which was the first mission entrusted to the Irish Province in Nigeria, when Thomas Broderick was appointed vicar apostolic in 1918. Patrick's first posting was to Aragba mission where the superior was Georges Krauth, a veteran Alsatian missionary. At the time most of the senior Fathers in the vicariate were continentals, although the vicar apostolic was Irish. For the first few months Patrick studied the western dialect of Igbo, learned about local culture and undertook supervised pastoral work. Then, having passed his language examination and received faculties to hear confessions, he was sent to occupy the outstation of Eku where he was to remain until 1926, building a Fathers residence during this period. In that year, home on leave in Ireland and in poor health, Patrick was appointed to the Province's seminary which had just been re located at Dromantine, Co Down. He joined a staff led by William Butler and which catered for 45 students. Patrick taught moral theology, a task which he found difficult and for which he felt unsuited. Anxious to return to Africa, he obtained his release in June 1929.

In October of the same year he returned to Western Nigeria, where he was appointed to Sapele. A residential station since 1926, Sapele mission mainly served immigrants from the east (many working in the Sawmills) but, increasingly, members of the indigenous population were coming into the Church. After a year at Sapele Patrick was appointed to Warri, one of the principal stations of the vicariate. During Bishop Broderick's absence in Ireland (for the Provincial Assembly of 1931 and the Eucharistic Congress of 1932), he appointed Patrick as pro vicar, to take charge of the jurisdiction. At the same time, in October 1930, Patrick's superiors in Ireland appointed him 'mission visitor', responsible for the spiritual and temporal welfare of the members. In both capacities Patrick made his mark, administering the affairs of the vicariate with skill and enthusiasm and looking after the welfare of the men with generosity and consideration. Bishop Broderick died in 1933 and was replaced by Leo Hale Taylor. Bishop Taylor renewed Patrick's appointment as pro vicar, a post he combined with his duties as 'visitor' of the thirty three members in the vicariate. During these years Patrick resided in Asaba, but spent most of his time travelling the length and breadth of the jurisdiction.

In June 1939 Bishop Taylor was appointed vicar apostolic of another jurisdiction (the vicariate of the Bight of Benin) and on 11 December of the same year Patrick was nominated as his successor in Western Nigeria. Significantly, after the death of Bishop Broderick in 1933, aware that his confreres had recommended him as the successor, Patrick wrote to his superiors in Cork saying that while he recognised God's will in the decisions of superiors, he begged not to be considered for the post of vicar apostolic. When for a second time he was the choice of his confreres, his superiors had not the slightest hesitation in disregarding Patrick's reluctance to accept the post. Patrick was ordained by Bishop John Dignan of Clonfert, at St. Michael's church, Ballinasloe, on 2 June 1940, with the title of bishop of Tignica. One of Bishop Taylor's last acts before his translation to Lagos was to transfer the headquarters of the jurisdiction (also St. Paul's inter vicarial major seminary) from Asaba to Benin city. It was here that Patrick took up his residence on his return to Nigeria after his episcopal ordination.

In January 1943 the vicariate was re named the vicariate of Asaba Benin and seven years later, in 1950, it was erected into the 'diocese of Benin City' with Patrick as its first bishop. In 1964 the Warri district was detached and erected as a separate diocese, while in 1973 further territory was detached and erected as the diocese of Issele Uku. Patrick was to remain bishop of Benin City diocese until 1973. During the whole of his life he was recognised as a man of rock, whose great inherent strength came from deep faith nurtured day and night by prayer. His lifestyle was simple, even rugged, paying little attention to comfort or ease.

What was important for him was prayer everything started and ended with prayer and nothing took precedence. His love for Africa was equalled only by his thirst for the salvation of African souls. Every waking moment in his life was taken up with the work of evangelisation. He attached particular importance to the instruction of children and adults for baptism and conducted his examinations (admitting candidates to the sacraments of baptism and confirmation) with unflagging energy and precision. Candidates who did not measure up to his rigorous standards were sent back for further instruction and the process was repeated until they were deemed fit. His devotion to the baptism of non Christians in danger of death was also well known. Patrick inspired great loyalty in his priests and others who served on his staff. He treated all with understanding and compassion although in his pursuit of the apostolate he never failed to challenge their human resources to the full. He had an extraordinary charity towards priests experiencing difficulties.

Patrick's simplicity, energy and zeal were matched by a sharp intelligence. This was evident in his planned approach to development in his diocese. His achievements in the educational sphere were particularly marked. For men he established St. Columba's teacher training college, Agbor, St. Joseph's training college, Ozoro, and St. John Bosco's college, Ubiaja. For women he founded the Sacred Heart college, Ubiaja and Maryfield college, Ughelli. Among the secondary institutions which he founded for boys were Immaculate Conception college, Benin city; St. Peter Claver's college, Aghalokpe, Annunciation college, Irrua, Ishan Grammar school, Uromi, St. Anthony's college, Ubuluku, Notre Dame college, Ozoro, St. Joseph's college, Otwa, St. Malachy's college, Sapele, St. George's college, Obinumber, St. Brendan's college, Bomadi, St. Pius X college, Onitsha Ugbo, Our Lady of Fatima college, Auchi, St. Anthony's college, Abavo, and St. Patrick's college, Asaba.

For girls he founded Marymount college, Agbor, St. Maria Goretti's college, Benin city, Our Lady's high school, Effurum, and Our Lady of Lourdes Grammar school, Uromi. His development of pastoral infrastructure (churches, mission residences, religious communities) was equally noteworthy. So too was his contribution to health care. He founded hospitals at Uromi, Ogwashi Uku, Ozoro and Benin City. In his dealings with government he was diplomatic but firm, and usually got his way. Educational officers who opposed the opening of new schools found themselves out manoeuvred, or were persuaded by argument, or often by the sheer force of his personality above all his determination not to be blocked. Reflective and farseeing, Patrick recognised that circumstances would soon change in Nigeria and that the long term future of the Church depended on the formation of an indigenous clergy and hierarchy. He took a keen interest in this work, fostering vocations, and monitoring their progress. In the course of his ministry, Patrick ordained 24 African priests for the mid western region.

At a requiem Mass held in Benin City, Bishop Ekpu described Patrick as a man 'bound up with the development of the catholic Church, not only in the several dioceses of what was formerly Bendel State, but also in the diocese of Lokoja and parts of Ondo and Ekiti dioceses.' He remarked on Patrick's immeasurable zeal for souls and his refusal to spare either himself or his staff, 'when it came to seeking out the pagans and winning their souls for the kingdom of Christ'. Bishop Ekpu, commenting on Patrick's belief in the school as an effective means of evangelization, noted that he built schools in 'all the nooks and corners of the former Bendel, Kwara and Ondo States.' He added: 'it was no wonder that when the mid west State government appropriated our schools, it took over no fewer than 582 primary schools, 35 secondary schools, and 3 teacher training colleges built by him.'

Patrick was elected bishops' delegate to the Provincial Assembly of 1968. He celebrated his golden jubilee of priesthood in June 1971. A coadjutor bishop was appointed to Benin City diocese in 1971, namely Patrick Ebosele Ekpu. Dr. Ekpu became bishop of the diocese when Patrick resigned in August 1973. Patrick spent the first period of his long retirement at St. Joseph's college, Wilton (1973 1985), until deteriorating health caused his transfer to the S.M.A. house at Blackrock Road. In March 1981 a rumour reached Nigeria that Patrick had died on 7th of that month and had been buried two days later at Wilton, Cork. Death notices were published in the Nigerian press, and Memorial Masses were celebrated. However Patrick was still hale and hearty. He was amused by this incident and commented wryly on the number of Masses that had been said for the repose of his soul. In fact he was to live a further ten years. At the time of his death Patrick was two weeks short of his 97th birthday and was the oldest bishop residing in Ireland. He was the uncle of Anthony Kelly, S.M.A. and Fr. Stephen Kelly (U.S.A.). Patrick was the first of five missionary bishops from the Clonfert diocesan college, the others being Bishops Winters, Howe, Byrne and Stewart.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.