Rome <----> Richmond: Audiotape Letters that Reveal the Formative Years
On August 19th, 1964, young Charles Kelly gathered in New York with approximately 75 other seminarians from around the United States to board the boat that would take them to four years of graduate school in Theology in Rome. The Pontifical North American College, known colloquially as the NAC, would be home for these young men as they prepared for ordination to the priesthood. Because of the nature of travel at that time, most of the young men on that trip would not see their families again until the date of the ordination, three and half years in the future. But it would also allow them the opportunity to travel through Europe to experience the universal church expressed in myriad ways from one community to another. And living in Rome would expose them to the heart of Catholicism just as the Second Vatican Council was completing its work.
With travel and even phone calls back to the United States being prohibitively expensive, many seminarians began to practice of exchanging audiotape letters with their family and friends back home. While some tapes were recorded over to save money, many of these tapes survived to this day and have now been digitized to preserve them for posterity. Through the eyes of Charlie, his family, and his friends, we hope these letters will allow you a rare and precious look into the world of priestly formation in the mid-1960s. By nature of our human experience, they also provide us with a commentary on the political and sociological nuances of that time. These tapes are the raw and very real thoughts of a young man who would grow to become one of the most respected priests of his generation.
We are grateful to Charlie's sister, Mary Jo Kelly, who graciously asked that we take these valuable family heirlooms, these treasured memories, and put them at the service of the world. For those of us who knew Father Kelly later in life, these tapes are a true blessing.
Please click the Rome & Richmond link in the menu bar above and select Audiotape Letters to access these recordings. We have also provided a very rough summary of the subjects covered in each of the audiotape letters. We hope you enjoy these recordings as much as his family must have so many years ago.
Peace!
With travel and even phone calls back to the United States being prohibitively expensive, many seminarians began to practice of exchanging audiotape letters with their family and friends back home. While some tapes were recorded over to save money, many of these tapes survived to this day and have now been digitized to preserve them for posterity. Through the eyes of Charlie, his family, and his friends, we hope these letters will allow you a rare and precious look into the world of priestly formation in the mid-1960s. By nature of our human experience, they also provide us with a commentary on the political and sociological nuances of that time. These tapes are the raw and very real thoughts of a young man who would grow to become one of the most respected priests of his generation.
We are grateful to Charlie's sister, Mary Jo Kelly, who graciously asked that we take these valuable family heirlooms, these treasured memories, and put them at the service of the world. For those of us who knew Father Kelly later in life, these tapes are a true blessing.
Please click the Rome & Richmond link in the menu bar above and select Audiotape Letters to access these recordings. We have also provided a very rough summary of the subjects covered in each of the audiotape letters. We hope you enjoy these recordings as much as his family must have so many years ago.
Peace!