[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13426]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             IN MEMORY OF MOST REVEREND ROBERT W. DONNELLY

  (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, today in Toledo, Ohio, in the 19-county 
diocese to which he dedicated his selfless life, the beloved most 
Reverend Roman Catholic Bishop Robert W. Donnelly was laid to rest. 
This ``priest of priests,'' gentle soul, humble leader, and 
compassionate shepherd passed from this life on July 21, 2014. With 
loving gratitude, our entire community extends its deepest appreciation 
for his life and deepest sympathy to his family and friends at his 
passing.
  Bishop Donnelly's religious life spanned 57 years, and he served as 
parish priest for seven congregations and taught in two Catholic high 
schools. Everywhere, he was of the people and revered.
  What a priest, what a bishop, what a shepherd was he--a gentle and 
holy man and a powerful religious leader. The thousands upon thousands 
of homilies and religious messages he shared were not bombastic but 
wise. He touched thousands upon thousands of people across generations 
with baptisms, graduations, communions, marriages, funerals, and 
confirmations. Bishop Donnelly was a man of peace. He was hardworking 
and always present when it mattered.
  With his extraordinary brother priest, Father Martin Donnelly, with 
whom he retired, their service cannot be measured in years but, rather, 
in devotion to imbuing real meaning to the faith to which they devoted 
their lives.
  May God grant him eternal rest as the joy of his spirit is released 
to eternity.

              Most Rev. Robert W. ``Bishop Bob'' Donnelly

       Most Reverend Robert William Donnelly passed on to eternal 
     life on July 21, 2014, surrounded by his family after a short 
     illness. Born in Toledo March 22, 1931, to Agnes (Quinn) and 
     Leonard Donnelly, he was a son of West Toledo's Most Blessed 
     Sacrament Parish, living close by and attending elementary 
     school there--the tallest kid in the 8th grade. As a teen he 
     worked summers as a day camp supervisor at Close Park. During 
     his high school years in the Class of 1949 at Central 
     Catholic he played football and CYO basketball and baseball, 
     and was an avid CCHS tennis player; he captained the tennis 
     team there. Later, at Quinn Family reunions he was the 
     pitcher for the annual softball games. He enthusiastically 
     donned costumes for family reunions and the Blessed Sacrament 
     Halloween Parades. And he had golf in his blood, avidly 
     playing the game.
       Bishop Bob earned a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy at St. 
     Meinrad College Seminary. Ordained a priest May 25, 1957, he 
     loved his years in pastoral ministry at Sandusky St. Mary, 
     Landeck St. John, Spencerville St. Patrick, Rossford Ss. 
     Cyril & Methodius, Toledo St. Clement, Toledo St. Charles, 
     and Fostoria St. Wendelin; and teaching at Delphos St. John 
     and Oregon Cardinal Stritch high schools. In every 
     assignment, his heart was always with the people.
       He earned a Master's degree in Theology at Saint John's 
     University, Collegeville, Minnesota and attended graduate 
     school programs at Mount Saint Mary Seminary, Norwood, Ohio; 
     Xavier University, Cincinnati; and the University of Toledo. 
     He was ordained Bishop on May 3, 1984. As Toledo Auxiliary 
     Bishop he was appointed to several diocesan positions, 
     serving as Vicar General for 20 years and diocesan 
     administrator following the death of Bishop James Hoffman; he 
     was chairman of the diocesan Ecumenical Commission, a Pro-
     Synodal consultant, a director of RENEW, and a member of the 
     diocesan board of consulters. He also served on the National 
     Council of Catholic Bishops' committees for Pastoral 
     Practices, Evangelization, and African America Catholics as 
     well as local boards of St. Vincent's Hospital, United Way, 
     and Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE). He retired in 
     May 2006.
       Brother priests have known him as ``a priest of priests.'' 
     He is remembered as a truly gentle man, a warm and loyal 
     friend, a wonderful mentor, respectful, humble, a people 
     person. His friends and family say that he was always open 
     and would give his full attention to whatever they had to 
     say, putting them at ease; he could always find something 
     good in everyone. When he presided at Mass, people knew it 
     wasn't ``his'' Mass; it was a prayer of, and for, and by, 
     everyone. He gathered often with life-long friends for cards 
     and camaraderie, loved to vacation with family, and cherished 
     friendships with brother priests. He enjoyed cooking and was 
     good at it, taking special care with holiday dinners of crown 
     roast, apple dumplings, and caesar salad. He later shared and 
     traded secret recipes with his beloved cousin, cook, 
     housekeeper, and friend Dorothy ``Buck'' Taylor.
       With subtle wit and care, Bishop Bob loved his family and 
     friends and took delight in children. His many cousins, 
     nieces, and nephews affectionately call him ``Uncle Father 
     Bishop Bob.'' He had a seemingly endless line of advice 
     seekers who he couldn't be more excited and willing to tend 
     to. His Irish heritage inspired him to take a group of the 
     younger generation of family members to Ireland to meet their 
     blood kin. When asked a question, his responses were well-
     thought-out, detailed, and explained.
       Bishop Bob was predeceased by his parents, brother Quinn 
     Donnelly, sister Mary Hendricks, and cousins Fr. Tom Quinn 
     and Betty Mears. He is survived by his brother, Fr. Marty 
     Donnelly, his brother-in-law Pat Hendricks, nieces and 
     nephews Ann (Tim) Doran, Larry (Sharon) Hendricks, Jim 
     (Julie) Hendricks, Mike (Kaye) Hendricks, Kay (Bill) Byrne, 
     and David (Betsy) Hendricks; 24 great nieces and nephews; and 
     12 great-great nieces and nephews.
       Friends may visit Monday, July 28, from 2 to 8 p.m. at Our 
     Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral, 2535 
     Collingwood Boulevard, Toledo, where a Vigil Service will be 
     celebrated at 7 p.m. Rosary will be prayed Tuesday, July 29, 
     at 10 a.m., with visitation until 11:45 a.m. The Funeral Mass 
     of Resurrection will be celebrated at noon Tuesday, followed 
     by burial at Resurrection Cemetery. Arrangements by 
     Blanchard-Strabler Funeral Home (419-269-1111) The family 
     would appreciate that any memorial donations be sent to St. 
     Martin de Porres, 1119 W. Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43606. 
     Online condolences: blanchardstrabler.com.

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