Stephen Kelly (priest)

{{short description|American priest and peace activist}}

Stephen Michael Kelly {{post-nominals |post-noms= SJ}} (born c.1949){{r|"Associated Press"}} is an American Jesuit priest and peace activist. He spent six years in prison for hammering on D-5 Trident missiles and other Plowshares movement actions. He has spent at least a decade behind bars, with six of those years in solitary confinement.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/catholic-priest-sentenced-time-served-after-2018-break-nuclear-naval-base|title=Catholic priest is sentenced to time served after 2018 break-in at nuclear naval base|date=October 16, 2020|website=National Catholic Reporter}}{{Cite web|url=https://religionnews.com/2020/09/24/11-years-in-prison-a-catholic-priest-serves-time-for-crimes-of-conscience/|title = 11 years in prison: A Catholic priest serves time for crimes of conscience|date = 24 September 2020}}

Kelly was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1990. He is a member of the Jesuits West U.S. province.{{Cite web|url=https://ignatiansolidarity.net/blog/2020/10/22/jesuit-fr-steve-kelly-sentenced-for-nonviolent-civil-disobedience-at-u-s-nuclear-weapon-facility/|title=Jesuit Fr. Steve Kelly Sentenced for Nonviolent Civil Disobedience at U.S. Nuclear Weapon Facility|first=I. S. N.|last=Staff|date=October 22, 2020}}

He gave the homily at the funeral Mass of Daniel Berrigan.{{Cite web|url=https://sojo.net/magazine/august-2016/do-not-be-ruled-fear-faith|title=Do Not Be Ruled by Fear, but Faith|first=Stephen|last=Kelly|date=June 30, 2016|website=Sojourners}}

Kings Bay Plowshares

On April 4, 2018, he took part in the Kings Bay Plowshares action.{{Cite web|date=2019-11-20|title=Explainer: Who are the Kings Bay Plowshares 7, the Catholics convicted of protesting nuclear weapons?|url=https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2019/11/20/explainer-who-are-kings-bay-plowshares-7-catholics-convicted-protesting|access-date=2020-12-29|website=America Magazine|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/28/948116757/longtime-anti-nuclear-activists-face-prison-again-after-breaking-into-naval-base|title = Longtime Anti-Nuke Activists Face Prison, Again, After Breaking into Naval Base|newspaper = NPR.org}}

For his part in the action, he was sentenced to 33 months in jail, three years probation, and a share of the $33,503.51 in restitution.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-15|title=Priest sentenced to prison for destruction and trespassing on restricted naval installation|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdga/pr/priest-sentenced-prison-destruction-and-trespassing-restricted-naval-installation|access-date=2020-12-29|website=www.justice.gov|language=en}} The judge gave him credit for the 30 months he spent in jail awaiting trial and sentencing.{{Cite web|url=https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2020/10/18/priest-sentenced-to-prison-for-breaking-into-navy-submarine-base/|title=Priest sentenced to prison for breaking into Navy submarine base|agency=Associated Press|date=October 18, 2020|website=Navy Times}}{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/priest-federal-prison-breaking-navy-base-73639868|title=Priest gets federal prison for breaking into Navy base|website=ABC News}}

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