[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 38 (Friday, March 15, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF MONSIGNOR JOSEPH P. KELLY BEING NAMED MAN OF THE YEAR 
        BY THE GREATER WILKES-BARRE FRIENDLY SONS OF ST. PATRICK

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 15, 2013

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Monsignor Joseph 
P. Kelly, who will be named Man of the Year by the Greater Wilkes-Barre 
Friendly Sons of St. Patrick this evening on the occasion of that 
organization's 68th St. Patrick's Day annual banquet.
  Monsignor Joseph Kelly was born on October 5, 1940 in Hawley, 
Pennsylvania. He graduated high school from Scranton Preparatory and 
then continued his religious education at Christ the King Seminary at 
Saint Bonaventure University in New York.
  Monsignor Kelly's work with students began early in his career when 
he taught 12th grade religion part-time at Scranton Prep while, at the 
same time, overseeing several parishes, including Saint Catherine's in 
Moscow and Holy Rosary in Scranton.
  In 1971, Monsignor Kelly decided to take his talents halfway across 
the country to Omaha, Nebraska. He worked there as Director of Father 
Flanagan's Boys Town, now called Father Flanagan's Boy's and Girl's 
Town. This small ``city'' of a complex was--and still is--regarded as 
one of the Nation's premiere youth care agencies.
  Back in northeastern Pennsylvania, Monsignor Kelly served as pastor 
of Saint Ann in Tobyhanna, Holy Rosary in Wilkes-Barre, and Nativity of 
the Blessed Virgin Mary and Nativity of our Lord, both in Scranton. He 
has been a procurator and professor at Saint Pius X seminary, a 
Diocesan Director for Catholic Men, Women and Youth, and the Executive 
Director of Saint Michael's School for Boys.
  Along with his continuing official assignments from the church, 
Monsignor Kelly serves today as Director of Camp Saint Andrew and is 
the founder of Project Hope at the camp. He is also the Executive 
Director of both the Saint Francis of Assisi kitchen in Scranton and 
the Saint Vincent De Paul kitchen in Wilkes-Barre. He resides at All 
Saints Parish Rectory in Plymouth, where he shares his well-earned 
wisdom at weekly masses. Monsignor Kelly's undying work and sincere 
dedication to others make him more than worthy of being named Man of 
the Year by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.
  I extend my thanks to Monsignor Joseph P. Kelly for his life-long, 
selfless commitment to our community, and I offer my good wishes and 
heartfelt congratulations to him on this momentous occasion.

                          ____________________