Culture

The Easter collection at parishes across the Archdiocese of Boston benefits the Clergy Trust and helps us to support the health, wellness, and retirement of all our active and senior priests.

I have always been grateful for the friendships I've been blessed to have with priests over the years. They have nurtured my faith, guided my spirit, and brought me great joy.
Msgr. Frank Kelley was one of those friends, and he was one of the most wonderful priests I have ever known. As the chair of the Clergy Trust's Board of Trustees, I believe strongly in our mission because, as our tagline suggests, healthier priests build stronger communities. There was no better example of this than Msgr. Frank Kelley.
Msgr. Kelley was larger than life. In the 1960s, as a member of the Association of Boston Urban Priests (ABUP), he worked alongside a few others to establish the Pine Street Inn, which has forever changed the landscape of homelessness in the City of Boston. To illustrate the impact that Pine Street has, consider that the percentage of homeless people living in Boston who are unsheltered is 2.4 percent. In New York City, it is 4.6 percent; in Washington, D.C., it is 16 percent; in Portland, Oregon, it is 58 percent; and major cities throughout California hover around the 70 percent mark.

And while Msgr. Kelley's legacy at the Pine Street Inn was solidified by his unwavering commitment and dedication to the homeless, his legacy as a parish priest is just as important and treasured. He served as pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Roslindale -- one of the most ethnically diverse parishes in our archdiocese -- for nearly three decades and was a truly beloved member of the community.
So it is with priests all over our archdiocese. Our priests lead our parishes and help us live out our faith, but in many ways, they also are fixtures in the broader communities. My pastor at St. Cecilia's in Boston is the prodigious Father John Unni, another priest who proves every day that healthy priests build stronger communities. It never ceases to amaze me everything that Father John is able to do on any given day. He sits on countless non-profit boards, serves as the chief chaplain for the Boston Fire Department, participates in and leads myriad ministries and faith groups in the parish, and always manages to deliver an inspiring and engaging homily on Sunday.
Sometimes, it's hard to remember that priests are human. Aside from their ethereal ability to address the needs of others -- even complete strangers -- they are literal conduits to Christ. Just as we must remind ourselves that Jesus was a man, so must we remind ourselves that priests are men first, with their own worries, health issues, good days and bad days. They need help, support, and guidance as they navigate and face life's many challenges -- and as they so selflessly care for others.
And while our priests are dedicating their lives to serving the Church and the people of God, the Clergy Trust is dedicated to serving them.
As a member of the Clergy Trust's Board since 2020, I have been continuously impressed by the creative and holistic ways in which our diocesan priests are supported. The Clergy Trust team not only oversees and coordinates healthcare and retirement benefits, but they are also committed to providing personalized and compassionate support to our priests from the moment they are ordained until they are called home to God. They're not just a team delivering a service to members of our clergy -- they are an extension of their family.
Perhaps one of the things Clergy Trust is most proud of is the Regina Cleri residence for our senior priests in downtown Boston. Home to more than 65 senior priests who have given a combined 3,500+ years of service to Christ and his Church, Regina Cleri is a spiritual haven and an incredibly unique benefit for our priests. Having the opportunity to live with their brother priests in community after they've "retired" is extremely special.
Msgr. Kelley lived his final years at Regina Cleri, and it was clear how happy he was there. It brought me and others who loved him great comfort knowing how well cared for he was. He served as chaplain of the residence, something that brought him immense joy and spiritual fulfillment. And in his final days, after he commenced hospice care, he was surrounded by his best friends and brothers in Christ in a home that he loved.
The Easter collection at parishes across the Archdiocese of Boston benefits the Clergy Trust and helps us to support the health, wellness, and retirement of all our active and senior priests. Please consider making a gift in honor of the many priests like Msgr. Frank Kelley and Father John Unni, who make our communities stronger through their ministry. Thank you for your generosity to the collection and for your care and support of our beloved clergy.

SHARON MCNALLY IS CHAIR OF THE CLERGY TRUST BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND A PARISHIONER OF ST. CECILIA PARISH IN BOSTON.

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