Another Lancastrian followed Bishop Thomas Holland. Patrick Altham Kelly was born in Morecambe, Lancashire on 23rd November 1938, the first son of John and Mary Kelly. His father, originally from Donegal, was a local dentist. Patrick attended St Mary’s Primary School, Morecambe and the Jesuit Preston Catholic College, before commencing studies for the priesthood in Rome in 1955.

Kelly was ordained by Cardinal William Godfrey at the English College, Rome on 18th February 1962. He remained in Rome for postgraduate studies until 1964.

On returning to England he served as assistant priest at St Peter’s Cathedral, Lancaster until his appointment as a lecturer in theology on the staff of St Mary’s College, Oscott, Birmingham in 1966. He became Rector of Oscott in 1979 and continued in the post until his appointment to Salford. Bishop Holland, assisted by Archbishops Worlock and Couve de Murville, ordained him as Bishop of Salford on 3rd April 1984.

Bishop Kelly re-ordered St John’s Cathedral and restored the order of the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist by introducing a new sacramental programme into the diocese. Henceforth, children were confirmed before receiving their first Holy Communion. He took particular interest in the mission to deaf people and encouraged the foundation, with the Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph and others, of Francis House Children’s Hospice, officially opened by the late Princess Diana in 1991.

Patrick Kelly was translated to Liverpool on 21st May 1996 and installed as Archbishop on 3rd July 1996.