Fr. Michael McDonnell, who ministered at St. Francis of Assisi for 20 years, from 1987 to 2007, died on Friday, November 3, in Saint Petersburg, FL where he had recently retired.
Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1938, Fr. Michael lived for most of his life in the United States. He entered the Franciscan Order in 1958 and was ordained a priest on March 13, 1965 in Washington, DC. Much of his priestly ministry was dedicated to Spanish-speaking people. He served in parishes in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Lima Peru, as well as the Bronx and Silver Spring, MD. After Fr. Michael completed his ministry at St. Francis of Assisi, he moved to Holy Name of Jesus Church on the Upper West Side, but continued to hear confessions in Spanish here at St. Francis.
Fr. Michael enjoyed a wide range of interests, including a deep fascination with various forms of transportation, from subways to jetliners. He was an avid walker and swimmer as well. He will be fondly missed at St. Francis for his gentle humor and shy smile.