About Jean
Jean P. Kelly believes in the power of stories, both hers and others, to give hope, build faith, and improve communities.
Over the last 30 years, her essays and feature articles have been published in local, regional and national publications and websites. She regularly contributes essays, cultural commentary, and stories to both the online and print edition of U.S. Catholic. She often explores in her work the intersections of faith, intellect, and writing and reading as forms of prayer.
Jean considers herself a “lectio-divina evangelista,” who teaches in the award-winning podcast, Read. Pray. Write. that spiritual reading is sometimes the only prayer that works, especially in times of desperation. The ancient monastic practice of slow reading and contemplation saved her from destructive and co-dependent relationships by offering easy access to peace of mind. In a heart-centered space even the suffering can listen, heal and accept insights that come from a loving God through words, music, and life experience.
She is Associate Professor of Journalism at Otterbein University in Central Ohio where she teaches writing, branding, graphic design and podcast storytelling. Together with her students, Jean puts faith in action through community-based research and service learning projects in urban neighborhoods and student-directed production of her podcast. She teaches community leaders and students alike how storytelling can change the world for the better.
Jean earned her Ph.D. in mass communication at Ohio University where she was a Scripps Howard Teaching Fellow. She also holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting, and a master’s degree in journalism.
Recent Writing
About Addiction & Co-Dependency
Does Your Parish Have a Drinking Problem?, US Catholic
The Season of Waiting Isn’t Always Joyful, US Catholic
About Social Justice
Finding Family in Unlikely Places, Sojourners
An Artist Finds His Calling Painting a City’s Forgotten Faces, U.S. Catholic
About Faith
On a pilgrimage to Brian Doyle’s hometown, I encountered joy
A Real-Life Refuge, U.S. Catholic
Companion in Exile: Flannery O’Connor, U.S. Catholic
Finding Lenten Answers with Lectio Divina, Columbus Catholic Times
Retreat from Loneliness, Columbus Monthly
We Need More Women in the Lectionary, U. S. Catholic
An Avid Reader? Consider the Practice of Lectio Divina, U.S. Catholic
The Value of Irreverence, Made for Ordinary Time blog
What My Dad Taught Me about Holiness, U.S. Catholic
Eileen Egan: The peace advocate often cropped out, U.S. Catholic.
Sr. Simone Campbell: A nun on the bus, U.S. Catholic.
A Communion Conundrum for Catholics with Celiac Disease, U.S. Catholic
My Daily Bread-lessness: A Celiac Sufferers Prayerbook, Sick Pilgrim
About Family
Schooled in Family Cooking, Columbus Monthly.
See my most recent features and columns for U.S. Catholic.