Curriculum Vitae: Reverend J. Cletus Kiley
Reverend J. Cletus Kiley, D.Min .
Director for Immigration Policy
UNITE HERE International Union
1775 K. Street N.W. Suite 620
Washington, D.C. 20006
Office: 202-661-3689
Cell: 202- 412-5941
Email: ckiley@unitehere.org
POSITIONS HELD:
Ordained Roman Catholic Priest: Since ordination as a Roman Catholic priest May 8,
1974 has served in a range of ministries that includes local congregations, diocesan
administration, and service at the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and other
national positions.
Current: July 1, 2010 – to present
Serves as the Director for Immigration Policy for UNITE HERE, the hotel and restaurant
workers’ international union. In this capacity he works on immigration reform strategies
with the union’s national leadership and its local members throughout the U.S. In addition,
Fr. Kiley serves as a member of the National Steering Committee for the Catholic Bishops’
Justice for Immigrants Initiative, as well as on the Immigration Committee for the AFLCIO.
Fr.Kiley also oversees the Priest-Labor initiative in collaboration with the National
Federation of Priests’ Councils, which is a network of on-going formation for priests to
develop skills engaging workers, and in particular, immigrant workers, around Catholic
Social Teaching.
Fr. Kiley is also a trustee of UNITE HERE Health, the Taft-Hartley Health plan for union
members.
He also serves on the Board of Directors of CPWR- the Center for Research for the Building
Trades.
President and CEO , The Faith and Politics Institute: 2006-2010
The Faith and Politics Institute is an interfaith and bi-partisan organization that works
directly with members of the U.S. Congress promoting deeper spiritual reflection. Working
with members of both political parties, a signature program of the Institute is the annual
Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage. This program immerses members of Congress in a
program with civil rights luminaries to reflect on the values and lessons of the U.S. Civil
Rights Movement. Fr. Kiley led this pilgrimage to Alabama, as well as one to Mississippi,
with Congress John Lewis. Fr. Kiley led two weekly reflection groups with members of
Congress. He developed a monthly bi-partisan dialogue group for 35 Senate chiefs of staff.
In his tenure, the Institute offered a number of lectures and retreats for members of Congress
and their staffs, and the general public. He brought members of Congress together with
religious leaders, as well as with Labor leaders in other bi-partisan events.
Executive Director, Secretariat for Priestly Life and Ministry, and lead staff member for
the Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse: 1997- 2006
A.In this capacity served as principal staff person to the U.S. Bishops Committee on
Priestly Life and Ministry coordinating the Study of the Impact of Fewer Priests, and
developing The Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests. He served as a liaison
between the Bishops' Conference and multiple clergy related national organizations, as
well as with the Comision del Clero of the Latin American Conference of Bishops. Among
these were the National Federation of Priests’ Councils, the Conference of Major
Superiors of Men, The National organization for the Continuing Education of Priests, the
National Association of Church Personnel Administrators, the Asociacion Nacional de
Sacerdotes Hispanos, among many. He worked closely with the Center for Applied
Research in the Apostolate, the Life Cycle Center of the Catholic University, as well as
the Duke University Divinity School Pulpit and Pew Project, in research projects on
priesthood and ministry. He worked with numerous individual bishops providing
workshops, clergy days, retreats, and dialogue sessions for their priests.
B.He also served as staff director for the Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on
Sexual Abuse developing a response to the sexual abuse crisis. In this capacity
participated in drafting The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People
and the formulation of national policy, and workshops for bishops and their key staff and
preparation for the national assembly of Catholic bishops called to adopt the policy. H e
participated in multiple dialogue sessions with victims of
clerical sexual abuse.He worked with victim advocacy groups to
c r e a t e d i a l o g u e s e s s i o n s w i t h U . S . b i s h o p s / He represented the
Conference President a n d t h e G e n e r a l S e c r e t a r y in the formation of the National
Review Board and the Office for Child and Youth Protection . During the transition to the
creation of this office he served as Deputy to the General Secretary(2002-2003) He
continued to serve as a consultant to the Board. He developed and coordinated training
workshops for the bishops and their key staff persons in implementing the national
response. He participated in orientation training for teams of auditors in oversight of the
implementation of the national policy. He assisted in development of model codes of
ministerial/ethical conduct for Catholic clergy and church ministers. This included
collaboration with the General Counsel’s office workshop ojn International Priests.He
collaborated on the development of communications strategies for both national and
local media.
He represented the Catholic Bishops of the United States at international meetings in
Ireland (1998), Vatican City (2000), in Lithuania, Poland and Ireland ( 2003), in Vatican
City and Romania (2004) that focused on clerical sexual abuse.
Pastor, St. Agnes of Bohemia Parish: 1996-1997. Served as pastor of this large parish
in the inner city of Chicago. The parish was comprised of approximately 5,000 families,
mostly Mexican immigrants. As pastor oversaw a full-time staff of eight, and over 350
ministry volunteers. Initiated a parish finance council which then developed a parishioner
data base, and a successful grants and gifts program . Initiated an outreach to Hispanic
youth. The parish initiated the largest teen RCIA program in the archdiocese. This ministry
was coordinated with the YMCA, Archdiocesan Youth Ministry, and other agencies. As
pastor also served on the board of directors of the United Neighborhoods Organization ,
and helped to develop an outreach to the local political leadership, civil authorities, and
organized labor in the area and to the multiple neighborhood social service agencies.
College of Consultors of the Archdiocese of Chicago: 1996-1998: Served as a
Consultor for the Archdiocese of Chicago. This tenure included the transition at the
death of Cardinal Bernardin through the installation of Cardinal George. In this
capacity we elected an administrator upon the Cardinal's death, and reviewed
Archdiocesan finances, pastoral practices, and attested to the appointment of
Archbishop Francis George as the new archbishop.
Rector/President St. Joseph College Seminary: 1990-1996. As president /rector
worked with the College Advisory Board, the faculty, staff, student body, and other
constituents in development and implementation of a strategic plan. The plan resulted in a
clarified mission for the organization, an enrollment enhancement plan, initiation of a
donor base and grants strategy, reduction in faculty and staff, and a reallocation of
property use. The strategic plan ultimately led to negotiations with Loyola University to
relocate the college program on its main campus, and negotiations with the Village of
Niles and a developer for the sale of the property .The college seminary program by 1996
had a clarified mission, an active enrollment, a stream lined staff, a successful fundraising
program, an endowment of $24 million and was re-located onto an active university
campus.
Director of the Department of Personnel Services/Archdiocese of Chicago:
1983- 1990. Founded the department of Personnel Services for the Archdiocese of
Chicago. This entailed bringing together a number of existing agencies as well as the
development of a several new agencies to meet the ministerial needs of the Archdiocese.
Engaged the National Association of Church Personnel Administrators to conduct an
audit of our entire ministerial personnel system at the outset. Subsequently developed a
plan for the establishment of a comprehensive ministerial personnel system for the
Archdiocese. We founded the Association for Pastoral Associates , and established an
office for lay ecclesial ministry. Initiated a research and planning effort ( "1990 Project")
to identify the ministry needs and projected availability of ministers for the Archdiocese
for the proximate future. Brought together the priest personnel function with the Offices
of Research and Planning, Vicar for Priests, Vicars for Religious, Vicar for Deacons,
Catholic Schools, Religious Education , Finances, and Lay Ministry in reviewing the
pastoral needs of parishes which were in need of a new pastor. Chaired the Incardination
Committee and the Priests’ Sabbatical Board.
The responsibilities of Director also included serving as a member of Cardinal
Bernardin 's Cabinet. As a Cabinet member was appointed by the Cardinal as his co-chair
in development of a pastoral plan for the Hispanic Apostolate for the Archdiocese of
Chicago.
Acting Vicar for Religious- Archdiocese of Chicago: 1984
This involved conducting the Study of Religious Life mandated by the Holy See (The
Quinn Study). Upon it’s completion oversaw the re-structuring of the Office for
Religious with a pastoral focus and the process to select permanent Co-Directors for
this ministry.
Associate Dean of Formation/ Associate Director Doctor in Ministry
Program/St. Mary of the Lake Seminary/Mundelein: 1977-1983. Was part of a
team that designed and implemented a fundamental revision of the pastoral and spiritual
formation program for the Major Seminary. Served as a spiritual director. Worked with
the Director of the Doctor in Ministry Program as a Thesis Project Director and program
coordinator.
Parochial Vicar: Epiphany Church: 1974-1977
Initiated pastoral ministry as a parochial vicar in this working class parish. Expanded the
Spanish masses on the Sunday schedule, developed a multi-ethnic youth group, a
Spanish choir, Spanish baptism teams, and catechetical outreach.
CONSULTATIONS/ TRAINING:
AFL-CIO Delegation to the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN): 2013
To discuss concerns of U.S. Labor Movement and Central American Governments
regarding the reform of U.S. Immigration policy.
AFL-CIO Delegation to the Congreso Federal Mexicano- Comisision de Asuntos
Migratorios: 2013
To discuss concerns of the U.S. Labor Movement and the Mexican Government regarding
the reform of U.S. Immigration Policy.
Consultant: Anglophone Catholic Bishops' Conferences Meeting: (Rome, Italy and
the Vatican; May, 2000;May,2004; May ,2005) Discussions on the development of
national policies, and canonical procedures related to clergy misconduct. Also in Ireland,
1997 and 2003.
Consultant: Conference Episcopal de LatinoAmerica (CELAM): Prevision Social
del Clero: (Mexico City, Mexico, April, 2005) and (Bogota, Colombia, November
2005, Panama City, Panama, February 2006) clergy retirement issues.
Consultant: Cuban Bishops' Conference: (La Habana, Cuba; January ,2005)
Accompanied Archbishop Keleher for discussions with bishops’ conference, priests'
council members and lay leadership to prepare clergy and laity in both the U.S. and Cuba
for future pastoral strategies.
Consultant: Catholic Seminaries of Lithuania and Latvia: ( Vilnius, Lithuania; 2002
and 2003)Conducted training programs for administrators and faculty for seminaries on
development of a national program for priestly formation.
Consultant: Catholic Bishops of Lithuania: (Vilnius, Lithuania; 2003) Reported on
the response of the U.S. Bishops to the sexual abuse crisis and assisted the Lithuanian
bishops in a review of principles for developing a national policy for the prevention of
incidents of sexual misconduct by clergy.
Consultant: Catholic Seminary Faculties in Poland: (Katowice and Krakow, Poland ;
2002) Conducted discussions with seminary administrators regarding the role of lay
ecclesial ministers and collaboration with clergy in Katowice and Krakow , Poland.
Consultant: Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union International: 1999-2001.
Conducted in-service workshop s for union officials and organizers on Catholic Social
Teaching. Also served as a religious support to individual organizing efforts.
Consultant: Building Trades: AFL-CIO: 1999-2002: Served as a religious consultant
to leadership in the Building Trades.
Organizational I Management Consultant: 1985-1997 ; Conducted consultations and
audits of the personnel systems in the following (arch) dioceses: Baltimore , San Antonio,
Seattle, Wilmington, Charleston, Kansas City (Kan.), Rochester, St. Petersburg, Santa
Fe, Portland, S y r a c u s e and Nashville.
In-service Training/ Presentations/Retreats:
- International Law Enforcement Conference sponsored by the Government of
Romania (with the Federal Bureau of Investigation , Scotland Yard, and John Jay College
of Criminal Justice)
-Catholic Campaign for Human Development staff
- USCCB Department of Education staff
-Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives and Catholic congressional
staffers
- Clergy Training for the Dioceses of Green Bay, Youngstown, Pittsburgh,
Charleston, Jefferson City, St. Cloud, Palm Beach, Chicago, Orange, Gary, Syracuse,
Bismarck, Baltimore, Galveston-Houston, Fort Worth, Fall River, Manchester, Toledo,
Cleveland, Indianapolis, Belleville, Portland (Ore.), New Ulm, Knoxville, Marquette,
Richmond, Milwaukee, Santa Fe and to the National Association of Airport Chaplains
City of Chicago: Committee on Finance: 1996; Developed resource papers on policy
issues for the chairman of the Finance Committee.
BOARDS AND ASSOCIATIONS:
Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation: Board of Visitors: term
2005-2007 . Appointment by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Army to
serve as a member of the Board of Visitors. The Board is charged with independent
review, observation and making recommendations regarding the operations of the
Institute.
S.O.S. Children's Villages Illlinois, Chicago, Illinois: 2005- 2010: Board member.
S.O.S. Children's Villages is a non-denominational organization that provides homes and
house parents for orphaned or dependent children.
Center for the Protection of Workers' Rights, Silver Spring, Md.: 1999-present: Board
member. The CPWR is a creation of the AFL-CIO Building Trades in conjunction with
the Department of Labor. It is a research center that reviews study proposals on issues
related to workers in the building trades.
Institutional Review Board/ Center for the Protection of Workers' Rights : 1999present: member. The IRB reviews research proposals that involve workers in the
building trades. The IRB insures that all workers ' rights are protected and that studies are
done in accordance with the Belmont Principles.
National Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice: 1999- 2009: member. The National
Interfaith Committee brings together representatives of many religious traditions in the
support of various workers issues and struggles. Currently serve as the chair of the fundraising committee of the Board .
United Neighborhoods Organization: 1996-1998: UNO is the major community
organization serving the Little Village neighborhood where I served as pastor. In this
capacity we worked on public school reform, as well the establishment of liaison between
the public schools and the Catholic parishes. We also promoted citizenship and home
ownership.
College of Consultors/ Archdiocese of Chicago: 1996-1998
Mundelein Seminary: Board of Advisors: 1990-1996: Served as a member of the
Formation Committee . This involved a review of the admissions policies for the major
seminary.
National Association of College Seminaries: 1992-1996; Served as a member of the
Executive Committee of the Association.
National Association of Church Personnel Administrators: President: 1988. This was
preceded by a year as president-elect, and then concluded with a year as past-president.
Served five years on the Executive Committee of the Association. This Board developed
the document Justice for Those Who Work for the Church.
EDUCATION:
Doctorate in Ministry ( D.Min.): University of St. Mary of the Lake, 1980 (with a
specialization in organizational development in Church structures)
Master's in Applied Spirituality: University of San Francisco, 1980 ( with a
specialization in the Ignatian Exercises)
Master's in Divinity: University of St. Mary of the Lake: 1974
Bachelor of Arts: Loyola University , Chicago, 1970
Sabbatical Study: Research in Management of Religious Not-for-Profit Organizations
under the direction of the Director of Loyola University's Program for
Community and Organizational Development
Fellow: Leadership Greater Chicago: 1989-1990: This Fellowship Program is a year
long program introducing the Fellows to a wide range of issues of concern to the
Metropolitan area. Fellows Alumni member since 1990.
Mexican-American Cultural Center: 1977, Studies in Hispanic culture and popular
religion
Instituto Hispano: Mundelein College: summers 1975- 1976 ( CEB courses and
Pedagogia Catequetica)
Languages: Spanish-fluent (Centro de Artes y Linguas , Cuernavaca , Mexico, 1974)
Italian- fluent (Loyola University, Chicago, 1993;
Seminario Archivescovile, Milano, Italy; 1994)
French- reading ( Institute Catholique, Paris, France, 1996)
Honors:
President's Award, National Organization for the Continuing Education of
Roman Catholic Clergy, 2003
2005 President's Touchstone Award, National Federation of Priests'
Councils
2005 Vision Award, National Association of Church Personnel
Administrators
Grand Marshal. City of Chicago, St. Patrick’s Day Parade, 2012
Fellow Honoris Causis, Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice, 2013
FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS:
Knights of Columbus, 4th Degree
Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, Knight Commander
Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago
Jesus-Caritas Fraternity for Priests
REFERENCES:
His Eminence
Francis Cardinal George
Archbishop of Chicago
P.O. Box 1979
Chicago, Illinois 60690
312-751-8200
Most Reverend Wilton D. Gregory
Archbishop of Atlanta
680 W. Peachtree Street, N.W.
Atlanta, Ga. 30308-1984
404-888-7804