Doctor's Orders: Father Kelly Leaves the St. Brendan Parish Earlier Than He'd Have Liked
“It’s bittersweet, but I have to do it,” says Rev. William Kelly of his retirement from serving as pastor at St. Brendan the Navigator Parish in Avalon.
Father Kelly’s doctor has been urging him to retire due to health reasons for more than a year, the priest says. The stress of the job, which he admits he might manage better, is affecting his heart. After two open-heart surgeries, one in 2005 and another in 2018, Father Kelly thought it best not to remain as St. Brendan’s pastor for the full six years that were agreed upon. The Diocese of Camden approved his request for early retirement, the priest notes.
When the Seven Mile Times spoke with Father Kelly upon his arrival at St. Brendan’s in 2020, he noted that the mergers of three churches – Maris Stella Church and Sacred Heart Church in Avalon and St. Paul Church in Stone Harbor – into one parish dubbed St. Brendan the Navigator in 2010 had been hard on parishioners and their church communities.
“My goal here is to make St. Brendan’s one vital, vibrant Eucharistic community,” the then-new pastor said.
Addressing lack of unity among parish communities after merging takes time, Father Kelly says. “We’re maybe 80 percent there,” he muses. “I’ve seen healing.”
Thanks to the “extremely, extremely generous people of St. Brendan’s,” there have been many cosmetic improvements and/or renovations in each church, Father Kelly notes. “All three churches now have good sound,” he says. “You can’t have good liturgy without good sound!”
Maris Stella’s Tierney Hall was refurbished and painted inside and outside. The parish office was spruced up with new flooring, carpeting, and painting.
St. Paul Church underwent major renovations. The foyer of the church was renovated and a new handicap ramp installed outside. There are now two ADA-compliant bathrooms at St. Paul, bathrooms complete with changing tables. The church rectory was refurbished.
Needed improvements were made at historic Sacred Heart Church courtesy of a generous descendant of Fred J. Michell, who built Sacred Heart by the Sea Church in the 1920s. Now, all of Sacred Heart’s stained-glass windows have been refurbished, old carpeting has been replaced and its exterior refreshed with a complete paint job.
“I want the people to see that the monies they give are being put to good use,” Father Kelly says. “They contribute in many ways. They give their time, talent, and treasure.”
Such parish improvements complement the plentiful sacramental life at St. Brendan’s that is of paramount importance to Father Kelly. “Our liturgies are so beautiful and prayerful” with help from dedicated committee members who arrange them, he says.
Attendance numbers are up, he notes.
“Nothing gives me greater pleasure than seeing a church full of people of all ages,” says Father Kelly. “If you don’t hear crying, then your church is dying!” Young children who need to eat Cheerios or move around in church are fine with him, he adds.
“We are blessed,” he says, his heart full of gratitude for the people around him. The entire operation of St. Brendan’s depends upon the “exceptional” office staffers. “The staff is absolutely wonderful!”
Masses and other services run smoothly with lots of help from other priests and deacons, he says. There are also Avalon and Stone Harbor police officers, firefighters, EMTs and lifeguards who assisted Father Kelly and for whom he is grateful: “All are diligent first responders.”
The three women who staff St. Brendan’s parish office are united as a team in their love and respect for Father Kelly and appreciation for his focus on family and management style.
“For Father Kelly, the importance of family is beyond measure,” says administrative assistant Maria Leonard. “He is a huge supporter of ‘family first.’ I truly believe he has always viewed the parishioners as his family. That’s why he tends to go the extra mile to care for them.”
Parish wedding coordinator Michelle Dooley agrees, saying “Father Kelly is family oriented, whether his parish family or birth family.” In dealing with people, “He is kind, thoughtful and generous, a people person who loves meeting new people, cherishes old friends and loves to have fun with friends, old and new.”
Plus, “Father Kelly is inspired by nature – God’s creation. He especially loves birds and sunsets. His talent as a photographer shows this love,” Dooley says of another of his talents.
What’s it like to work for Father Kelly?
“As a boss, Father Kelly does not stand in the way of allowing staff members to do what they are hired to do – their jobs. This leadership style has created a comfortable work environment which helps to support respect between co-workers,” Leonard says. “His ‘others oriented’ attitude for his flock and his office mates will be missed.” Not only that, thanks to Father Kelly’s strong family values, “I always felt at ease when asking for time away from work in order to serve my own family’s needs,” Leonard recalls.
St. Brendan’s bookkeeper Linda DiSabatino recognizes another aspect of Father Kelly’s leadership. “It has been wonderful working for Father Kelly,” she says. “He is a detail-oriented person, which made me more conscientious with my work ethic. I will miss working with him. We developed a wonderful friendship and I hope it continues into the future.”
Father Kelly will relocate to Collegeville, Pa. He will return to Avalon occasionally for events like “The Wedding of the Sea” on Aug. 15, which is the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. That day, Mass-goers gather at the Stone Harbor Recreation Center on 82nd Street for a 10:30am outdoor Mass followed by a rosary procession to the ocean. As in the past, when they arrive on the beach, the priest boards a Stone Harbor Beach Patrol Boat that heads into the waves. The clergyman then blesses the waters, uniting the sea to the town.
After he relocates, Father Kelly will be helping out at the church of his childhood, St. Matthew Church in Conshohocken, Pa. His Collegeville apartment sits above a funeral home, and the funeral director asked Father Kelly if he might officiate in-house during funerals there, which he will likely do. The priest also plans to do a little traveling here and there as a retiree.
Father Ray Gormley will be Saint Brendan the Navigator Parish’s new pastor as of July 1. Father Gormley served as pastor of Incarnation Parish in Mantua, N.J., for the past 12 years.
“That staff will have the new pastor’s back,” says St. Brendan’s retiring pastor.
“It’s a wonderful parish. I will watch it improve from a distance,” Father Kelly muses. “And, I will remember St. Brendan’s parishioners and their deceased loved ones in my prayers.”
