Father Liam Nioclás Kelly
Rector of the Church of
the Holy Family in Chicago
and
Vicar-General for the Evangelical Catholic Diocese of the Northwest
Liam Nioclás Kelly, the
eldest son of William Kelly and Marie O’Carroll Kelly, was born in Belfast
Ireland on March 2, 1976. As a child he attended Saint Bride’s Primary School
and Saint Malachi High School and College.
Recognizing and accepting God’s gift of a vocation to the priesthood, Liam
Nioclás began his formational journey with the Dominican Order in Ireland and
began his academic studies with them. In 1998, Liam Nioclás received his Diploma
in Theology from the Dominican House of Studies in Tallaght. In 2001, Liam
Nioclás received a BA in Classics and Philosophy from the National University of
Ireland in Maynooth and later that same year he received a Bachelors in
Philosophy from the Pontifical University of Saint Patrick also in Maynooth. In
2002, Liam Nioclás a Masters in Art History from the Courtauld Institute of Art.
In 2002, Liam Nioclás chose to make the United States his adopted home and
settled into the City of Chicago.
Beginning in 2002, Liam Nioclás became a Research Scholar Professor at The
Martin D’Arcy Museum of Art at the Lake Shore Campus of Loyola University, a
position he held until 2004. From 2002 until 2003, he also became a Research
Scholar in the Department of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the Newberry Library
of Chicago examining, translating and cataloguing Medieval liturgical
manuscripts.
From 2002 until 2005, Liam Nioclás served as a Immigration Law Consultant for
the Chicago Irish Immigrant Support Office in Chicago.
In 2005, Liam Nioclás chose to continue his catholic sacramental and spiritual
journey within the Evangelical Catholic Church and became a member of Mission
Church of the Holy Family in Chicago. On May 13, 2006, Liam Nioclás was ordained
to the Order of Deacon for the Evangelical Catholic Diocese of the Northwest.
As part of his ministry to the People of God, Liam Nioclás has served, with
distinction, as Chaplain at Kindred Hospital North in Chicago and has served his
Bishop on a number of important matters and concerns.
On Saturday, September 29, 2007, the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and
Raphael, Liam Nioclás Kelly was ordained Priest for the Evangelical Catholic
Diocese of the Northwest by Bishop James Alan Wilkowski.
Upon his ordination to the Priesthood, Father Liam Nioclás Kelly was Rector of
the Mission Church of the Holy Family and as Vicar-General for the Diocese of
the Northwest, while continuing to serve as Chaplain at Kindred Hospital North.
At his priesthood ordination, Father Kelly was presented with letters of congratulations by Mayor Dennis Magee of Merrionette Park Illinois, Mayor Richard M. Daly of Chicago, Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich, United States Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, the Honorable Sean Farrell, Consul General for Ireland, and President George W. Bush. Father Kelly was also presented with Resolutions of Congratulations by the Chicago City Council and the House of Representatives and Senate for the State of Illinois.
The Church of the Holy Family in Chicago