About Me
Dr. Lenard Kelley, Ed. D.
I have 22 years of experience working for the Catholic Church in a plethora of parish and Diocesan positions. Currently, I work for the Archdiocese of Hartford as the Director of Family Life. I started ministry in 1998 while doing mission work in Nairobi Kenya. I spent 4.5 years in the seminary with the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. While with the OMIs, I was assigned parish ministry. In 2003, I started ministry in the Diocese of Phoenix and worked in the Diocese of Phoenix until 2016.
My ministry experience includes 22 years of catechetical ministry, 10 years of Liturgy experience, five years of marriage preparation, three years of funeral planning experience, and 22 years of volunteer training experience. Along with parish ministry experience, I have 22 years of parish leadership experience. I have been a Safe Environment Trainer since 2003. I have been a volunteer educator since 2003. Finally, I have been a part of and lead over 40 retreats since 1998. These retreats include wedding preparation weekends, youth retreats, young adult retreats, adult retreats, VBS, and Sacramental preparation retreats.
On December 17, 2018, my dissertation committee approved my manuscript titled “Volunteer Motivation for Catholics: Volunteers at a Catholic Church in Central Arizona.” My research focused on the motivation of Catholic volunteers in Central Arizona. My research, education, and experience working in ministry have motivated me to find a Diocesan job where I can help professional lay employees and volunteers succeed in ministry. With over 19 years of ministry experience teaching, training, and coaching clergy, lay professionals and volunteers, I have the necessary experience training lay professionals and volunteers to succeed in ministry.
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- Director of Family Life
My essential job functions were to create facilitator training manuals for (a) marriage preparation programs, (b) marriage enrichment programs, (c) infertility support programs, (d) bereavement programs, and (e) divorced and separated programs. After the facilitator training manuals were created, I would conduct conferences lasting between one day to five days. These conferences would train parish staff from one of 115 parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Hartford.
Archdiocese of Hartford | April 2019 – Current| Hartford Connecticut - Director of Liturgy / Director of Family Life / Pastoral Associate / Director of Sacraments
My essential job functions were overseeing all Liturgy for the parish. This included weddings, funerals, weekend Mass, and holy days of obligation. As the Director of Family Life, my essential job functions were to oversee wedding preparation, funerals, the coordinator of youth ministry, the coordinator of religious education, to run the RCIA program, retreats, family camp outs, and Adult Faith Formation. I was responsible for Faith Formation from cradle to grave. As the Pastoral Associate, I ran the day to day operations of the parish. I was responsible for all parish staff including hiring and firing employees. As the Director of Sacraments, I oversaw all sacramental preparation and sacramental liturgies.
Saint Bridget Catholic Church | March 2015 – April 2016 | Mesa Arizona - Administrative Assistant of Communications
My essential job functions were to develop and maintain the church website, maintain the 12 page parish bulletin, develop all print media and marketing materials, effectively communicate direction of leadership with staff and faithful, and effectively communicate all aspects of communication. The biggest accomplishment was the development of social media for the parish and taking the parish website from a traditional website to a blog style website that has over 8000 hits a month.
Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church | July 2014 – March 2015 | Goodyear Arizona - Director of Family Ministries / Director of Youth Ministry / Director of Liturgy
My essential job functions were faith formation for Jr. high school and high school aged youth. I was responsible for Confirmation preparation for Jr. High and High school aged youth. I was in charge of planning a major parish event once a month. Some examples include a Super Bowl party, a Mardi Gras party for families, retreats, and other appropriate events. I was in charge of Planning Liturgies. This responsibility included making sure we had the volunteers for each liturgical function. Other essential job functions included, organizing ministers for the homebound and a leadership role for the adult ministry team.
Saint Luke Catholic Church | January 2013 – June 2014 |Phoenix Arizona - College Campus Minister
My essential job functions as the college campus minister were to organize weekly liturgy, encourage college students to enter RCIA or receive any Sacraments they may have been missing, and create, lead, and promote weekly activities for students. I helped organized several concerts where Catholic musicians performed on campus.
Arizona State University West Campus | July 2008 – July 2012 | Phoenix Arizona - Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
My essential job functions for this position included Sacramental preparation for Jr. high and high school aged youth. I was responsible for the Jr. High youth program (The Edge). I was in charge of the high school program. I was responsible for finding, training, and maintaining volunteers to serve the youth and confirmation programs. I was responsible for training all volunteers in Called to Protect and Safe Environment training. I planed and maintained the Youth Ministry budget. I worked with other staff in a multiple collaborative ministries designed to help families connect spiritually (Generations of Faith). Finally, I was responsible for Jr. high and high school retreats. From 1998 to 2016, I have been responsible for more than 40 retreats.
Our Lady of the Valley / Saint Raphael Catholic Church | July 2008 – July 2012 | Phoenix Arizona
Saint Bernadette Catholic Church | June 2003 – July 2008 | Scottsdale Arizona - Seventh Grade Religion Teacher
My essential job functions included preparing students for confirmation and making lesson plans.
St. Stevens parish | August 2000 – May 2001 | Miami Florida - Seventh Grade Religion Teacher
My essential job functions included preparing students for confirmation and making lesson plans.
St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church | August 1999 – May 2000 | Saint Louis Missouri - Missionary
I helped rehabilitate children who were addicted to sniffing glue in the ghetto of Kibera, one of the poorest ghettos in the world. I lived in an orphanage and helped organize the children’s day to day lives. My other responsibilities included teaching English and Theology to orphans.
Kibera Ghetto| March 1998 – July 1998 | Nairobi Kenya
- Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Christian Ministry
Grand Canyon University | 2018 | Phoenix Arizona | Doctorate Diploma - Master’s of Arts in Christian Ministry with and emphasis on Leadership
Grand Canyon University | 2015 | Phoenix Arizona | Master’s Degree Diploma - Bachelor’s of Arts in Philosophy and Letters
Saint Louis University | 2000 | Saint Louis Missouri | Bachelors Degree Diploma - Certificate of Achievement
Cardinal Glennon College Seminary | 2000 | Saint Louis Missouri | Kenrick Glennon Seminary Certificate - Certificate of Pre-Theology
Saint John Vianney College Seminary | 2002 | Miami Florida | Certificate of Pre-Theology Diploma - Certificate of Marriage Preparation
Diocese of Phoenix | 2015 | Phoenix Arizona | Marriage Preparation Certificate - Foccus Certificate of Facilitator Training
Foccus Inc. USA | 2015 | Phoenix Arizona | Foccus Certificate - Certificate of Catechetical Ministry
Diocese of Phoenix | 2006 | Phoenix Arizona - Certificate of Safe Environment Train the Trainer
Diocese of Phoenix | 2006 | Phoenix Arizona
