Clarence Kelly
Encyclopedia
Bishop Clarence Kelly is a Traditionalist Catholic
bishop. He was ordained a priest on April 13, 1973 at Ecône
, Switzerland
by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
for the Roman Catholic Society of St. Pius X
.
Kelly eventually became Superior of the Society in the United States. In 1983 Kelly, along with eight other priests, were expelled from the Society because of their refusal to accept the 1962 Roman Missal
promulgated by Pope John XXIII
as directed by Archbishop Lefebvre as well as for their refusal to celebrate Masses
Una cum Ioánne Paulo (II), a sign that the celebrant recognizes the latter as the legitimate Roman Pontiff. These expelled priests formed the de facto
sedevacantist
Society of St. Pius V
(SSPV), which held, that it is, at least, a debatable question whether the pope
s since 1958 have in fact been legitimate Roman Pontiffs and, subsequently, whether the revisions of the Roman Missal
after 1958 were legitimate.
Most of the original and principal priests of the SSPV, including Frs. Daniel Dolan
, Donald Sanborn and Anthony Cekada
, broke away from the SSPV in part due to Kelly's and others' rejection of the validity of bishops consecrated by or in the lineage of Roman Catholic archbishop
Pierre Martin Ngo Dinh Thuc, and because they wanted to start an independent ministry more openly promoting the sedevacantist position. Frs. Sanborn and Dolan themselves have been subsequently consecrated bishops in this Thuc-lineage after previously openly rejecting them.
Fr. Clarence Kelly was consecrated a bishop
on October 19, 1993 at Carlsbad
, California
, by Most. Rev. Alfredo Mendez Gonzalez (see http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmendez.html), the retired Bishop of Arecibo, Puerto Rico
, a claim originally contested by Anthony Cekada and others who had broken away from Kelly and SSPV, but which they now concede.
Traditionalist Catholic
Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical forms, public and private devotions and presentations of Catholic teachings which prevailed in the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council...
bishop. He was ordained a priest on April 13, 1973 at Ecône
Ecône
Écône is an area in the municipality of Riddes, district of Martigny, in the canton of Valais, in Switzerland. It is the location of The International Seminary of Saint Pius X.-External links:*...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
Marcel Lefebvre
Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre was a French Roman Catholic archbishop. Following a career as an Apostolic Delegate for West Africa and Superior General of the Holy Ghost Fathers, he took the lead in opposing the changes within the Church associated with the Second Vatican Council.In 1970,...
for the Roman Catholic Society of St. Pius X
Society of St. Pius X
The Society of Saint Pius X is an international Traditionalist Catholic organisation, founded in 1970 by the French archbishop Marcel Lefebvre...
.
Kelly eventually became Superior of the Society in the United States. In 1983 Kelly, along with eight other priests, were expelled from the Society because of their refusal to accept the 1962 Roman Missal
Roman Missal
The Roman Missal is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.-Situation before the Council of Trent:...
promulgated by Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
as directed by Archbishop Lefebvre as well as for their refusal to celebrate Masses
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
Una cum Ioánne Paulo (II), a sign that the celebrant recognizes the latter as the legitimate Roman Pontiff. These expelled priests formed the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
sedevacantist
Sedevacantism
Sedevacantism is the position held by a minority of Traditionalist Catholics who hold that the present occupant of the papal see is not truly Pope and that, for lack of a valid Pope, the see has been vacant since the death of either Pope Pius XII in 1958 or Pope John XXIII in 1963.Sedevacantists...
Society of St. Pius V
Society of St. Pius V
The Society of St. Pius V , abreviated SSPV, is a Traditionalist Catholic society of ordained priests formed in 1983 and based in Oyster Bay Cove, New York. The priests of SSPV broke away from the Society of St...
(SSPV), which held, that it is, at least, a debatable question whether the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
s since 1958 have in fact been legitimate Roman Pontiffs and, subsequently, whether the revisions of the Roman Missal
Roman Missal
The Roman Missal is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.-Situation before the Council of Trent:...
after 1958 were legitimate.
Most of the original and principal priests of the SSPV, including Frs. Daniel Dolan
Daniel Dolan
Daniel Lytle Dolan is a sedevacantist traditionalist Catholic bishop.A Detroit, Michigan native, Dolan began his preparation for the priesthood in 1965 at the archdiocesan minor seminary in Detroit...
, Donald Sanborn and Anthony Cekada
Anthony Cekada
Anthony Cekada is a Traditionalist Catholic priest and author.Born in 1951, Cekada studied at St. Francis Roman Catholic Seminary College in Milwaukee, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Theology in 1973; he studied organ and musical composition at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. In 1975,...
, broke away from the SSPV in part due to Kelly's and others' rejection of the validity of bishops consecrated by or in the lineage of Roman Catholic archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Pierre Martin Ngo Dinh Thuc, and because they wanted to start an independent ministry more openly promoting the sedevacantist position. Frs. Sanborn and Dolan themselves have been subsequently consecrated bishops in this Thuc-lineage after previously openly rejecting them.
Fr. Clarence Kelly was consecrated a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
on October 19, 1993 at Carlsbad
Carlsbad, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Carlsbad had a population of 105,328. The population density was 2,693.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Carlsbad was 87,205 White, 1,379 African American, 514 Native American, 7,460 Asian, 198 Pacific Islander, 4,189 from other...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, by Most. Rev. Alfredo Mendez Gonzalez (see http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmendez.html), the retired Bishop of Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Arecibo is a municipality in the northern midwest coast of Puerto Rico and located by the Atlantic Ocean, north of Utuado and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta, and Florida. Arecibo is spread over 18 wards and Arecibo Pueblo...
, a claim originally contested by Anthony Cekada and others who had broken away from Kelly and SSPV, but which they now concede.