Catholic priest still bakes pies, enjoys opera and performs daily Mass at age 100: The Lord was wonderful to me

Throughout his remarkable lifetime, the Rev.James Kelly has baptized thousands of people, married thousands more, ministered to the sick in hospitals, and traveled the world extensively.

He became friends with an opera superstar and, yes, even with a saint.The longest-serving priest in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of his ordination and his 100th birthday.He’s grateful to have reached these milestones, but nearly didn’t after experiencing a health challenge last year that required life-saving surgery.He feels God gave him some extra time and tries to make each day count.“The Lord was wonderful to me to give me the health and the strength and the energy to travel, to meet beautiful things — God was always giving me surprises,” Kelly says.Born on Jan.

7, 1925, in the Philadelphia neighborhood of Roxborough to a devoutly Catholic family, Kelly’s path to the priesthood seems ordained from the start.He loved attending church.

Other children dreamt of becoming athletes, doctors, or firefighters.He wanted to be a priest.“When I was 4 or 5 years old, I’d play Mass,” he says, laughing, as he recalls that his parents were his first congregants.

“I always had a little altar in my room, and I’d have a glass, and some flowers in there, and I’d make a vestment, put a scarf on, and have some candy, and give Communion to everybody.”Kelly wakes up at dawn to celebrate Mass at the retirement living community that he now calls home.He listens to opera.

He bakes pies.Sitting in his room, Kelly flips through a photo album detailing his journey.He smiles with every page turn, pointing to black-and-white photos of him as a toddler and milestones as a Catholic — his baptism, confirmation, and ordination as a priest.“I turned down Hollywood!” he says, laughing as he points to the portrait of a dapper, young priest, his hair slicked and flashing a wide smile.He also points to the photo published by a Philadelphi...