Reverend Joseph M. Mcdonnell

Reverend Joseph M. McDonnell

Newark"Rev Joseph M. McDonnell, at age 99 on Friday (December 24, 2004) in Rochester GeneralHospital

Father McDonnell will Lie in State from 4-7 P.M., on Wednesday (Dec. 29th) at St. Michael Church, South Main St., Newark, N.Y. The Rosary will be prayed at 4:30 P.M. and all are invited to a 7 P.M. Service of Evening Prayers. St. Michael's Church will be open for visitation at 9 A.M. on Thursday. The Most Reverend Bishop Matthew H. Clark will celebrate Father McDonnell's Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday (December 30th) at 10:30 A.M., at St. Michael Church, Newark. Interment will follow in the NewarkCemetery.

Memorial gifts in his memory may be made to St. Michael's Church or St.MichaelSchool, 401 South Main Street, Newark, New York14513.

Father McDonnell was born on January 12, 1905 in Bath, N.Y. the fourth son of Miles and Joanna Scanlan McDonnell. He was educated at Bath elementary school and attended both St. Andrew's and St. Bernard's Seminary. Father McDonnell was ordained into the priesthood on June 7, 1930. His first assignments were eight years as Assistant Pastor at HolyRosaryChurch and three years at St. Mary's both in Rochester. In 1941, he became the Chaplain at the State Agricultural and IndustrialSchool in Industry, N.Y. His first pastorate was St. Gabriel's Church in Hammondsport along with the mission church of St. Patrick's in Prattsburg. Father McDonnell then became Pastor of St. Ignatius Church in Hornell before coming to Newark in 1957 where, right away, he launched a drive to construct an addition to the school for a combination auditorium and gymnasium, which was dedicated in 1961. At a ceremony on December 6, 1998, the facilities were rededicated and named The Father Joseph M. McDonnell Hall. Father McDonnell was Pastor of St. Michael Church until his retirement in June of 1975. In his retirement, Father Joe continued as Pastor Emeritus of St. Michael Church until he moved to the McAuleyCenter in Rochester on September 1, 1999.

A fourth degree member of the Newark Council #897, Knights of Columbus, Father McDonnell was also the Spiritual Director of St. Michael's Rosary and Altar Society and the Legion of Mary. He had been a life member of the Newark Country Club. Over the years, he had been active on several civic committees in the Village of Newark. He'll be long remembered for his deep devotion in faith, his loving Irish wit and blessings and his playfully breaking into a song.

Father McDonnell is survived by nephew Edward (Joann) McDonnell, nieces Joanne (Tom) Koch and Therese (Jim) Dudden, several great nephews and nieces, cousins and his parish family at St. Michael Church and many friends through out the area.

Arrangements by Paul L. Murphy & Sons Funeral Home, Newark, New York.