Jeffrey Francis Kirby

Early life

Jeffrey Kirby was born in Killeen, Texas, while his father was stationed on Ft. Hood. He was raised in a military family, son of retired First Sergeant Alan Kirby, Jr., and Frances Kirby. One of three children, he has an older brother and younger sister, Alan III and Melanie. Kirby’s childhood was principally in West Germany where his father served multiple tours. In 1989, with the anticipated fall of the Berlin Wall, the family returned to the United States and made their home in South Carolina.

Studies

Kirby graduated from Lower Richland High School in Hopkins, SC, and attended the Franciscan University of Steubenville. He majored in history as an undergraduate and philosophy as a graduate student. After completing his Masters in Philosophy, Kirby was planning to attend law school, but chose to attend seminary since the idea of the priesthood had been with him since he was nine years old. Returning to South Carolina, and while applying to the seminary, Kirby taught moral theology and New Testament at Bishop England High School. Since his time at the high school, three of Kirby’s former students have entered the seminary or convent.

In 2002, he entered the Pontifical North American College, the American seminary in Rome. While at the seminary, he attended the Pontifical Gregorian University and earned his Bachelor of Sacred Theology and began studies toward his License in Moral Theology at Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and a Masters in Bioethics at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum.

While studying in Rome, Kirby developed a catechetical tour of St. Peter's Basilica. He gave the tour to countless people and groups, including Sister Nirmala Joshi, MC, during the festivities surrounding the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The basilica tour led to the publication of two books: Encountering the Lord in His Holy Court: A Walk Through St. Peter's Basilica (2009) and 101 Surprising Facts about St. Peter's and the Vatican (2015).

In 2006, Kirby was ordained a transitional deacon in the Chapel of the Chair of St. Peter’s Basilica by Cardinal Edwin O’Brien. In 2007, he was ordained a Catholic priest at the Columbia Metropolitan Center in Columbia, SC. In the ceremony, six priests were ordained, the largest class of ordinations for the Diocese of Charleston since 1956.

Ministry

Kirby began his priesthood in a three-parish circuit helping to cover Clemson, Walhalla, and Seneca, SC. After this three month assignment, he was sent to St. Mary Help of Christians in Aiken, SC. While in Aiken, Kirby focused on Christian formation programs and care of the sick. Since his time at the parish, two young men influenced by Kirby have entered the seminary.

In 2009, Kirby was sent back to Rome to complete his License in Moral Theology and his Masters in Bioethics. He completed both while focusing on the natural law and conscience formation. While still in Rome, Kirby was appointed the new Vicar of Vocations for the Diocese of Charleston, the person responsible for finding new seminarians and postulants for the convent in South Carolina. In over five years as the Vicar of Vocations, Kirby has been internationally recognized as a “revolution” in vocations work. The simple expressions “missionary to the cyber continent,” “discipleship to discernment,” and “believing needs belonging” have been hallmarks of his ministry.

In 2011, Kirby released a strategic plan that called on all sectors of the church’s life to support and promote the priesthood and sisterhood. In his plan, he outlined extensive use of social media, web design, and videography. These resources had not been used systematically in vocations work in most places in the United States. Also in 2011, Kirby also became the founding director of the Drexel House, a Catholic Residence for Men in downtown Charleston, SC. The house would be a community of disciples aimed at growing in faith, prayer, and virtue. The house was open to all Catholic men, and not just those who were actively discerning the priesthood.

In 2013, Kirby authored a book, Lord, Teach Us to Pray, which was presented as a guide on Christian discipleship and the spiritual life. The book was a summary of his work in vocations. The book was hailed as a “saint’s playbook” by the National Catholic Register. Kirby’s efforts were described by such newspaper headings as: “Tweeting a revolution in the priesthood”; “Catholic diocese implements robust new strategy to recruit priests”; and “Men's Catholic household fosters vocations." Kirby’s work was featured on a segment by the British Broadcasting Company, and he was invited to be a guest on National Public Radio’s “Talk of the Nation.” He was also invited as a guest on the Eternal Word Television Network’s “Life on the Rock.”

Later, to emphasize his work on Christian discipleship, Kirby wrote the book The Life and Witness of St. Maria Goretti. The book illustrated how the young saint lived the Beatitudes and included a Workshop in Holiness segment that was intended to help others grow in their own faith and discipleship.

In 2014, Kirby was accepted as a doctoral student in moral theology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and began research on his dissertation while still in South Carolina. In June, 2015, Kirby concluded his term as Vicar of Vocations and returned to St. Mary Help of Christians in Aiken as a Temporary Administrator.