Francis Clement Kelley

Francis Clement Kelley (October 23, 1870 – February 1, 1948) was a Canadian-born Catholic bishop. He was the second Bishop of Oklahoma City, as well as an author and diplomat. He was a Catholic priest for 54 years, and bishop for 23 years.

Early life

Francis Clement Kelley was born in Vernon River, Prince Edward Island, Canada, to John and Mary Kelley. His sister was poet Lucy Gertrude Clarkin. He was educated at St. Dunstan's College, Prince Edward Island, and ordained a priest for the diocese of Detroit, Michigan, in 1893.

Father Kelley served as a military chaplain during the Spanish–American War, as a captain with the Michigan National Guard. He was later promoted to the rank of colonel. Kelley served as vice commander general of the Military Order of Foreign Wars, a veterans' group, for five years.

While pastor in Lapeer, Michigan in 1905, he founded the Catholic Church Extension Society of the United States with the help of James Edward Quigley, Archbishop of Chicago. Kelley was elected its first president. The Extension Society continues to promote the mission of the Catholic Church in rural and mission areas of the United States and abroad. Kelley also founded and edited the quarterly Extension Magazine, which had more than 3 million subscribers during his administration. In addition to his editorial duties, he authored numerous books.

As a diplomat, Kelley represented the bishops of Mexico during the World War I Peace Conference in Paris. He also initiated unofficial negotiations between the Vatican and the Italian government for a settlement of the Roman Question. Two years after the war, Kelley was sent to England by the Vatican to settle postwar differences over German and American missions. As president of the Extension Society, Kelley also represented the Mexican bishops during the Carranza Revolution. He established a seminary in Texas for exiled Mexican seminarians and clergy.