Rev. Professor Gerard Kelly

Rev. Professor Gerard Kelly

Qualifications

STB (1980), STL (1985) – both from Catholic Institute of Sydney
STD (1993) – from the Collège universitaire dominicain, Ottawa, Canada.

Research Interests

Ecclesiology, with a particular focus on Christian unity
Baptism and Eucharist, and their significance for the unity of the Church.

Personal

I am a priest of the Archdiocese of Sydney and was ordained in 1980, after studies at the Catholic Institute of Sydney at St Columba’s College, Springwood and St Patrick’s College, Manly.  I joined the academic staff of CIS in 1986, and was given study leave in 1988 to pursue doctoral studies at the Collège universitaire domincain in Ottawa, Canada.  I returned to CIS at the end of 1992. 

I was President of the Catholic Institute of Sydney from 2004 until the end of 2017. In addition to teaching course units at both undergraduate and graduate level, I have also supervised research degree theses in systematic theology. I am currently the editor of the Australasian Catholic Record.

My research interests in ecumenism have seen me involved in theological dialogue. I am currently the Catholic co-chair of the Australian Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue. In addition, I also chair the Faith and Unity Commission of the National Council of Churches in Australia.

Recent Publications

Recognition Advanced Ecumenical Thinking. New York: Peter Lang, 1996.

Eat this Bread Drink this Cup: Eucharistic Practice in Australian Churches, eds Ray Williamson & Gerard Kelly (Sydney: NSW Ecumenical Council, 2004).

Celebrating with Children, with Robert Borg and Brian Lucas. Two volumes. Sydney; E.J. dwyer, 1990.

"Baptism in the Roman Catholic Church" in Baptism: Historical, Theological and Pastoral Perspectives, ed. Gordon L. Heath & James D. Dvorak. Eugene OR: Wipf & Stock, 2011, pp. 26-52.

"Episkope: A Recent Study of the Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue in Australia", One in Christ 44(2010); 153-167.

"To Keep in True Lent", Australasian Catholic Record 86(2009); 33-44.

"The Place of the Church in Christian Spirituality", Terra Spiritus vol 5, issue 1(2009). (www.terraspiritus.com.au).

"Called to be the One Church: A Step on the Ecumenical Journey", PHRONEMA 23(2008); 11-21.

"The Relationship between Mission and Identity: A Case Study from Theological Education", Australasian Catholic Record 84(2007); 35-44.

"Pioneers, not Problems: Interchurch Families", Terra Spiritus issue 1, 2007 (www.terraspiritus.com.au).

"A Papacy Communicated: John Paul II", Compass 40.3(Spring 2006); 12-16.

"The Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the Church", Australasian Catholic Record 82(2005); 445-453.

"Lutheran-Roman Catholic Agreement on Justiciation: Suggestions for Talking about God Tody", Pacifica 17/2(2004); 184-196.

"The Sacramental Church and its Sacrament of Penance", in A Hunger for Reconciliation ed. Gerard Moore (Strathfield: St Pauls, 2004), chapter 5.

"Baptism - Sacrament of the Birth of the Church". In Prayer and Spirituality in the Early Church, edited by Bronwen Neil, Geoffret D. Dunn & Lawrence Cross (Strathfield: St Pauls, 2003), 159-165.

“Intercommunion and Eucharistic Hospitality” in The Eucharist: Faith and Worship, edited by Margaret Press (Strathfield: St Pauls, 2001); 109–127.

“The Eucharist as Jesus’ Farewell Gift” in The Eucharist: Faith and Worship, edited by Margaret Press (Strathfield: St Pauls, 2001): 11–26.

“The Eucharistic Doctrine of Transubstantiation” in The Eucharist: Faith and Worship, edited by Margaret Press (Strathfield: St Pauls, 2001): 56–74.

“Spirit, Church and the Ecumenical Endeavour”.  In Starting with the Spirit: Task of Theology II, edited by Gordon Preece and Stephen Pickard (Hindmarsh SA: Australian Theological Forum, 2001), 153–176.

“Baptismal Unity in the Divided Church”, Worship 75(2001): 511–527.

"Intercommunion - Critical for the Further of the Ecumenical Movement and Church Unity?". One in Christ 34(1998); 307-319. 

“Milestone to Unity: Lutheran–Roman Catholic Declaration on Justification”, Compass 35/2(Winter 2001): 27–36.

“Local Dialogue on Interchurch Marriages”, Ecumenical Trends 30/4(April 2001): 15–16.

“Church Unity! How Do We See It?”, Sharing no.59 (September 2001): 27–36.

“Future Directions in Theological Education and Formation”, Australasian Catholic Record 79(2002): 164–175.