{{Short description|Catholic cardinal (1933–2024)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = cardinal | honorific_prefix = His Eminence | name = Kelvin Edward Felix | title = [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]]<br>[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Castries|Archbishop of Castries]] | image = Kelvin Edward Felix.jpg | alt = | caption = Felix in 2014 | church = [[Catholic Church]] | archdiocese = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Castries|Castries]] | diocese = | see = | appointed = 17 July 1981 | term_end = 15 February 2008 | predecessor = [[Patrick Webster]] | successor = [[Robert Rivas (archbishop)|Robert Rivas]] | other_post = Cardinal Priest of [[Santa Maria della Salute a Primavalle]] (2014–2024) | ordination = 8 April 1956 | ordained_by = | consecration = 5 October 1981 | consecrated_by = [[Paul Fouad Tabet]] | cardinal = 22 February 2014 | created_cardinal_by = [[Pope Francis]] | rank = [[Cardinal-Priest]] | birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|02|15|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Roseau]], Dominica | death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|05|30|1933|02|15|df=yes}} | death_place = [[Castries]], Saint Lucia | coat_of_arms = | motto = {{lang|la|Ut omnes unum sint}}<br>(That all may be one) }} {{Ordination | ordained deacon by = | date of diaconal ordination = | place of diaconal ordination = | ordained priest by = | date of priestly ordination = 8 April 1956 | place of priestly ordination = | consecrated by = [[Paul Fouad Naïm Tabet]] | co-consecrators = [[Gordon Anthony Pantin]], CSSp<br />[[Samuel Emmanuel Carter]], SJ | date of consecration = 5 October 1981 | place of consecration = | elevated by = [[Pope Francis]] | date of elevation = 22 February 2014 | bishop 1 = [[Edward Joseph Gilbert]], C.SS.R | consecration date 1 = 7 September 1994 | bishop 2 = [[Gabriel Malzaire]] | consecration date 2 = 4 October 2002 | sources = }} {{Infobox cardinal styles | name = Kelvin Edward Felix | dipstyle = [[His Eminence]] | offstyle = [[His Eminence|Your Eminence]] | relstyle = [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]] | image = Coat of arms of Kelvin Edward Felix.svg | image_size = 230px }}
'''Kelvin Edward Felix''' (15 February 1933 – 30 May 2024) was a [[Catholic Church in Dominica|Dominican Catholic]]{{Efn|The [[Dominica|country]], not the [[Dominican order|religious order]]}} prelate who served as [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Castries|Archbishop of Castries]] from 1981 to 2008. He was made a [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]] in 2014, the first from the [[Caribbean]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Meet the Cardinals: Kelvin Felix - Castries, Antilles {{!}} Salt + Light Media |url=https://slmedia.org/blog/meet-the-cardinals-kelvin-felix-castries-antilles |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=slmedia.org}}</ref>
==Youth and early career== Kevin Felix was born in [[Roseau]], Dominica, on 15 February 1933<ref name="chronicle">Joseph Jr., Rudy (2006, 28 April). 50th Anniversary: Archbishop Felix celebrates. ''The New Chronicle'' (back page).</ref> and ordained a priest on 8 April 1956. In 1962 he left the West Indies for [[St. Francis Xavier University]] in Nova Scotia, where he earned a diploma in Adult Education in 1963. He obtained a master's degree in sociology and anthropology from the [[University of Notre Dame]] in Indiana in 1967 and completed post-graduate studies in sociology at the [[University of Bradford]] in England in 1970. He was principal of the Roman Catholic High School in Dominica from 1972 to 1975 and associate general secretary of the Caribbean Conference of Churches from 1975 to 1981.<ref name="castries"/>
==Archbishop and cardinal== [[Pope John Paul II]] named Felix archbishop of Castries on 17 July 1981.<ref>{{cite book | page= 565 | url = https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-73-1981-ocr.pdf | date = 1981 | volume= LXXIII | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis }}</ref> He received his episcopal consecration on 5 October 1981 from Archbishop [[Paul Fouad Tabet]] who was then apostolic delegate to the Antilles. He served as president of the Antilles Episcopal Conference from 1991 to 1997 and president of the [[Caribbean Conference of Churches]] from 1981 to 1986. In addition to the administration of the Catholic Church in St. Lucia, Archbishop Felix was responsible for 33 primary schools, two secondary schools, one girls' vocational school, two homes for the elderly, one shelter for the homeless and an orphanage for young children.<ref name="castries">{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20040904131806/http://www.archdioceseofcastries.org/ARCHBISHOP.htm Archdiocese of Castries Website]}}; accessed 16 February 2015.</ref>
On 12 April 2006, Felix was attacked and grabbed on the neck by a man with a knife, as soon as he finished an evening sermon at the [[Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Castries]]. The man ran after Felix was aware of a sawing motion on his throat, and then pushed him backwards. News of the event reminded Saint Lucian natives of a similar attack at the same Cathedral on New Year's Eve, 2000, in which a nun was killed and another injured.<ref name="htschannel 4">Christine Larbey [http://www.stluciastar.com/midweek/WedApril26-06/news3.htm "Archbishop attacked, security tightened for holy weekend"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060509230454/http://www.stluciastar.com/midweek/WedApril26-06/news3.htm |date=9 May 2006 }}, StLuciaStar.com, 14 April 2006; retrieved 5 May 2006.</ref><ref>[http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,35888.html Profile], newsday.co.tt; accessed 16 February 2015.</ref>
As he approached his retirement age, Felix asked for a coadjutor be appointed to ensure a smooth transition.<ref name="sl-star">[http://www.htsstlucia.com/2007_News/July/HTS_News_July_20th_2007.html#new "New archbishop comes to St. Lucia"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112224309/http://www.htsstlucia.com/2007_News/July/HTS_News_July_20th_2007.html#new |date=12 January 2014 }}, htsstlucia.com, 20 July 2007; retrieved 4 October 2007.</ref> [[Pope Benedict XVI]] accepted his resignation on 15 February 2008.<ref>{{cite press release | date = 15 February 2008 | language = it | publisher = Holy See Press Office | title = Rinunce e Nomine, 15.02.2008 | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2008/02/15/0094/00229.html }}</ref>
In retirement, Felix returned to his native Dominica, where he assisted in smaller parishes.
He was created [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinal]] by [[Pope Francis]] on 22 February 2014.<ref>{{cite news|last=McElwee|first=Joshua L.|title=Pope chooses new cardinals from Africa, Asia, Latin America|url=http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/pope-chooses-new-cardinals-africa-asia-latin-america|access-date=12 January 2014|newspaper=National Catholic Reporter|date=12 January 2014}}</ref> He was the Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria della Salute a Primavalle.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2014/documents/ns_lit_doc_20140222_titoli-diaconie-nuovi-cardinali_it.html |title=Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali |date=22 February 2014 |website=[[Holy See|The Holy See]] |publisher=[[Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff|Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice]] |language=it |trans-title=Assignment of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals |access-date=16 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703072411/https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2014/documents/ns_lit_doc_20140222_titoli-diaconie-nuovi-cardinali_it.html |archive-date=3 July 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Cardinal== [[Pope Francis]] made Felix a [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinal]] on 22 February 2014, the first from the [[Caribbean]].<ref>{{cite news|last=McElwee|first=Joshua L.|title=Pope chooses new cardinals from Africa, Asia, Latin America|url=http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/pope-chooses-new-cardinals-africa-asia-latin-america|access-date=12 January 2014|newspaper=National Catholic Reporter|date=12 January 2014}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Asson |first=Cecily |date=2014-05-02 |title=Accelerate beatification of Archbishop Pantin |url=https://archives.newsday.co.tt/2014/05/02/accelerate-beatification-of-archbishop-pantin/ |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=Trinidad and Tobago Newsday Archives |language=en-US}}</ref> He was the Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria della Salute a Primavalle.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2014/documents/ns_lit_doc_20140222_titoli-diaconie-nuovi-cardinali_it.html |title=Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali |date=22 February 2014 |website=[[Holy See|The Holy See]] |publisher=[[Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff|Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice]] |language=it |trans-title=Assignment of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals |access-date=16 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703072411/https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2014/documents/ns_lit_doc_20140222_titoli-diaconie-nuovi-cardinali_it.html |archive-date=3 July 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Distinctions == The Archbishop was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws in 1986 from St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia and was appointed an [[Order of the British Empire]] by Queen [[Elizabeth II]] in 1992. In 1999, he was awarded Dominica's highest honour, the Dominica Award of Honour for Meritorious Service by the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Service Awards Register |url=https://dominica.gov.dm/government-publications/national-service-awards/254-national-service-awards-register |website=Government of Dominica |access-date=14 November 2020 |archive-date=16 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116014317/https://dominica.gov.dm/government-publications/national-service-awards/254-national-service-awards-register |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2002 he received the Medal of Honour (Gold) (SLMH) of the Order of St. Lucia for services to Religion from the Government of St. Lucia on occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the country's independence for having rendered eminent service of national importance to Saint Lucia.
Felix died in [[Castries]] on 30 May 2024, at the age of 91.<ref>{{cite news | work= Dominica News Online | title = Catholic Church mourns the loss of His Eminence Cardinal Kelvin Felix | date = 30 May 2024 | url =https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/homepage-carousel/catholic-church-mourns-the-loss-of-his-eminence-cardinal-kelvin-felix/ | access-date = 31 May 2024 }}</ref>
==See also== *[[Cardinals created by Francis]]
==References== {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{wikiquote|Kelvin Edward Felix}} {{commonscat}} * {{cite web| access-date = 23 November 2017| title= Felix Card. Kelvin Edward |publisher= [[Holy See Press Office]] | url= https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_felix_ke.html | url-status=live | archive-date= 4 September 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170904070512/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_felix_ke.html }} *[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bfelix.html Kelvin Edward Felix] on Catholic Hierarchy
{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-bef|before=[[Patrick Webster]]|years=1974-1979}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Castries|Archbishop of Castries]]|years=1981–2008}} {{s-aft|after=[[Robert Rivas (archbishop)|Robert Rivas]]|years=2008-present}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Jean Honore]]|years=2001-2013}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Santa Maria della Salute a Primavalle|Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria della Salute a Primavalle]]|years=2014–2024}} {{s-vac}} {{s-end}}
{{Cardinals created by Francis}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Felix, Kelvin}} [[Category:1933 births]] [[Category:2024 deaths]] [[Category:Saint Lucian Roman Catholic archbishops]] [[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in the Caribbean]] [[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in the Caribbean]] [[Category:Dominica emigrants]] [[Category:Immigrants to Saint Lucia]] [[Category:Notre Dame College of Arts and Letters alumni]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Bradford]] [[Category:Cardinals created by Pope Francis]] [[Category:Saint Lucian cardinals]] [[Category:Dominica cardinals]] [[Category:Bishops appointed by Pope John Paul II]] [[Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Castries]]