Chicago, IL (October 26, 2015) – Rev. John Joseph Donohue passed away n Friday, October 23, 2015, at Presence Ballard Rehabilitation Center in Des Plaines. Fr. Donohue was the Pastor Emeritus of St. Edward Parish in Chicago. He was 93 years old.
Fr. Donohue was born in Chicago on May 29, 1922. He attended St. Mel School in Chicago and Quigley Preparatory Seminary. Fr. Donohue graduated from the University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein
Seminary. He was ordained into the priesthood on May 8, 1948, by Samuel Cardinal Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago.
Fr. Donohue, also known as “Jason,” served as Assistant Pastor at a number of Chicago parishes including Our Lady Help of Christians Parish (closed in 2005); Blessed Sacrament Parish (closed in 2005); St. Timothy
Parish on Washtenaw Avenue; and St. Jerome Parish. He also served as Assistant Pastor and Administrator of St. Edward Parish from 1970 until he was made Pastor in 1981. Fr. Donohue was named Pastor Emeritus of
St. Edward Parish in 1992, when he retired. After his retirement, he served as Administrator of St. Maria Goretti Parish in Schiller Park for a short time. In addition, Fr. Donohue was a Judge for the Archdiocesan Metropolitan Tribunal.
Rev. Albert Adamich, retired Archdiocesan priest, was Fr. Donohue’s classmate. He reflected on Fr. Donohue’s dedication to saying goodbye to his brother priests. He said, “He made a special effort to attend priest funerals. It was a good thing to do and he did it.” Fr. Adamich and Fr. Donohue were the two remaining members of the class of 1948.
Fr. Donohue will lie in state on Monday, October 26, from 3 until 8 p.m., at St. Edward Parish, 4350 West Sunnyside Avenue in Chicago. The Funeral Mass for Fr. Donohue will be celebrated the next morning, on
Tuesday, October 27, at 10 a.m. Most Rev. Raymond Goedert, retired Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, will preside and Rev. Michael Zaniolo, Catholic Chaplain at O’Hare International Airport, will be the
homilist.
Private Interment will take place at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside.