Rev. Donald Francis Connelly
Friday, February 24, 1933
Date of Death:
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Age:
83 years old
Visitation
Date: Monday October 10, 2016
Time: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Co-Cathedral of St. John The Evangelist [ view map ]
Second Visitation
Date: Tuesday October 11, 2016
Time: 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Location: Co-Cathedral of St. John The Evangelist [ view map ]
Funeral Mass
Date: Tuesday October 11, 2016
Time: 1:30 pm
Location: Co-Cathedral of St. John The Evangelist [ view map ]
Burial
Location: Calvary Cemetery [ view map ]
Friday, February 24, 1933
Date of Death:
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Age:
83 years old
Friday, February 24, 1933
Date of Death:
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Age:
83 years old
Rev. Donald Francis Connelly
On October 6, 2016, Father Donald Francis Connelly joined his Heavenly Father after passing away at Mayo Clinic Hospice.
Fr. Don was born February 24, 1933 in Rochester, MN to Leo and Mayme Connelly. He did his college seminary studies at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona. Fr. Don completed his theology studies at St. Paul Seminary. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Winona on May 31, 1958 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Rochester. During his Seminary years he spent his summers at home farming with his dad Leo, uncle Chris, and brother Leo.
Fr. Don served in eight parish assignments and as chaplain at St. Mary’s Hospital during his fifty-eight years as a priest. He served as an associate pastor of Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona, and St. Catherine’s Church in Luverne. He then served as pastor of St. Anthony in Lismore and Mission at St. Kilian, St. John Vianney in Fairmont, St. Mary’s in Winona, St. Peters in Rose Creek, Queen of Peace in Lyle, and St. Joachim’s in Plainview. He was granted senior priest status on June 30, 2004.
From 2004-2007, he served as a priest chaplain at St. Elizabeth’s Health Care Center in Wabasha. He also performed weekend parish ministries in local parishes. Fr. Don was also involved in many other ministries for the Diocese. He served four years on the Priests’ Advisory Council, eight years as a member of the board of directors for Catholic Charities, ten years as a priest advocate on the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal, as Chaplain for Teams of Our Lady, and for the Knights of Columbus.
Fr. Don enjoyed traveling, golfing, and spending time with family and friends. As time allowed he spent time on his family home farm west of Rochester which held a special place in his heart.
Fr. Don is survived by his sisters, Sister MaryLou Connelly, and Eunice (Alfred) Dols; nine nieces and nephews; and sixteen great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Leo and Mayme Connelly, and brother Leo (Marge) Connelly.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 1:30PM on Tuesday, October 11, 2016 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Rochester, MN with Bishop John M. Quinn celebrating and the Priests’ of Winona Diocese concelebrating. Visitation will be from 5-8 pm at the Church on Monday, October 10th and an hour before the service. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.
Condolences
The family of Rev. Donald Francis Connelly has received the following condolences.
Father Connelly was a gentle and kind man. From his beginning in Plainview, he managed to learn Family names, parents and children, and call them by name. He must have memorized the pictoral directory, and matched faces in his memory as well. When he had the parish down , he seemed to get to know the whole neighborhood around him. To my amazement, during Bible Camp, he sat on the seat in the dunking tank and let the kids try to get him dunked...once anyway!. I appreciate men of the cloth who aren't above humbling themselves a little and being human! He also did the actions to the song "Father Abraham" as I remember. He was to our home and I enjoyed his visits, even though I was embarrassed about once getting the meat smoking the kitchen up, on the broiler. To his sisters, and fellow priests, our prayers are with you and for you in yet another loss. though heaven's gain.
Father Don was a great man. He was my priest while he was at St. Joachim's. He was very approachable and made everyone feel comfortable.
My in laws, George and Dorothy Kruger had him over for dinner often and he was a childhood neighbor of my Aunt Elizabeth Quirin and I remember her saying he was kind even as a boy. He will be missed.
Fr Connelly's Family
My Sympathy and Prayers to you all.
I remember him well as he was pastor in Rose Creek, my husband and Fr were very close friends, also remember when I was getting to know Fred Lickteig as he was my 2nd husband, he passed away in 2003, we would go to chicken fries in Adams and he always sat with us and enjoyed the evening, I also remember him saying Mass at the Rochester History Center on their Tractor and steam engine days always in August. I am unable to attend his funeral, but he will be in my prayers. God Bless You All. May he Rest in Peace.
May God welcome home Fr. Don: His good and faithful servant.
--Nicholas Quallich
i'm so sad that I've lost one of my very best friends. We've shared years of friendship, many phone calls, lunches, weddings, graduations and long, long visits. My heart is sad that you are gone... but blessed to have you in my life for all these years!! I love you Fr. Don.Blessings????
Father Don was a huge part of my life and I am so grateful to have known him. He was perfectly imperfect, gentle, and so loving. My heart is heavy for all of us left here without him, but I'm so glad he can rest easy in peace and love eternal. Much love to all who mourn his passing.
I thank God for the gift of Fr. Connelly in my life. He was the Priest who told me, "Just try." I was thinking about being a Sister, and he was the one who gave me that gentle encouragement. Here I am, 20 years later, a Consecrated Sister. May you rest in peace Fr. Don!
My condolences go out to the family of Father Connelly. Father has meant a lot to me as over the years of growing up at St Joachims Church.
My condolences to the family of Father Connelly. I am a member of the St. Joachim's Catholic Church in Plainview where he will be greatly missed. I was so saddened to hear of his passing. My God bless him in his eternal rest!
I loved Fr.Don he was aways so kind and he aways knew you.The kindness person you could ever know. Heaven will love to have him! One of the Best Priest you could know. May he rest in peace my condolences to his family I know he will be missed greatly.