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  1. Father Kelly

From the recording Father Kelly

This song is based on the tune The Rossmore Jetty by Father PJ Kelly, also known as Father Kelly’s Reel. (Public Domain) It tells the story of many of the folks with developmental disabilities who we have worked with over the years.

Lyrics

Father Kelly
Words by Lisa Meissner;
Music: based on The Rossmore Jetty by Father PJ Kelly
(Also known as Father Kelly’s Reel )
Copyright 2008, All Rights Reserved

Father Kelly says that I can be an altar boy
I can light the candles bringing love and bringing joy
Now I am a grown man, not a boy anymore
But I can still light candles I can still bring love and joy

Father Kelly says that I can be a liturgist
I can spread God’s word from this world to the next
There’s only one thing that I have to do
I need to learn my alphabet and read a line or two

Sometimes I am happy and sometimes I am sad
Sometimes all I want to do is cry, I get so mad
Though I may look different, I’m the same as you
I only want to live my life, there’s so much more to do

Sometimes I am calm and sometimes I may rant
Sometimes I laugh so hard I nearly pee my pants
Though I may look different, I’m the same as you
I only want to live my life, there’s so much more to do


When I was born my parents love me so
The doctor said there’s something wrong, he will have to go
So I lived my life in one place and another
I never knew my parents, my sisters or my brothers

Now I am an old man, I’m ready to move on
Father Kelly says that there is a world beyond
I will be an altar boy and a liturgist
I will spread God’s word from this world to the next

Sometimes I am brave and sometimes I’m afraid
Sometimes I worry when things don’t go my way
Though I may look different, I’m the same as you
I only want to live my life, there’s so much more to do

Sometimes I am loving and sometimes I’m a grouch
Sometimes all I want to do is lay down on the couch
Though I may look different, I’m the same as you
I only want to live my life, there’s so much more to do