The Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette, Monsignor Edward Joseph O'Donnell was born to Edward J. O'Donnell and Ruth M. Carr, on July 4, 1931, in Saint Louis, Missouri, and was ordained to the priesthood at 25 years of age on April 6, 1957, by Cardinal Joseph Elmer Ritter.
Associate of the parish of St. Gabriel, O'Donnell served furthermore within the Diocese of St. Louis as pastor of the parishes of Notre Dame in Wellston, St. Roch's in St. Louis, and St. Peter's in Kirkwood; director of the Archdiocesan Radio and TV Office; editor of the Archdiocesan Newspaper, St. Louis Review, the Golden Dozen Award Winner, and of the Conference of Weekly Newspaper Editors; vicar general, moderator and later administrator of the Curia; member of the Archdiocesan Vocation Council; associate director of the Archdiocesan Commission on Human Rights; chairman of the Interfaith Clergy Council of St. Louis; and director of the Archdiocesan Pro-Life Committee.
Named Monsignor by Pope Paul VI, in February, 1977, aged 52, he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Louis, receiving his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Britonia on February 10, 1984, from Archbishop John Lawrence May, assisted by Bishops George Joseph Gottwald and Charles Roman Koester.
Elected administrator of Archdiocese of St. Louis on December 11, 1992, while Archbishop John L. May was suffering from fatal brain cancer, Bishop O'Donnell was named the Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette by Pope John Paul II on November 8, 1994, succeeding Msgr. Harry Joseph Flynn, following the latter's nomination as Coadjutor Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. O'Donnell was installed in his see on December 16, 1994.
Resigning his office at 71 years of age on November 8, 2002, due to health reasons, O'Donnell never got the chance to accomplish his wish list, including learning to play golf. He wasn't given enough years of good health.
O'Donnell suffered from failing health including Parkinson's, and took his last breath at 10 o'clock Sunday night, of Sunday, February 1, 2009, aged 77, at St. Agnes Home in Kirkwood. "He watched the Super Bowl last night, had a bowl of chili and died. It's typical the way that he would've wanted it. He died a happy man", described Monsignor Robie Robichaux, the Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Lafayette.
Associate of the parish of St. Gabriel, O'Donnell served furthermore within the Diocese of St. Louis as pastor of the parishes of Notre Dame in Wellston, St. Roch's in St. Louis, and St. Peter's in Kirkwood; director of the Archdiocesan Radio and TV Office; editor of the Archdiocesan Newspaper, St. Louis Review, the Golden Dozen Award Winner, and of the Conference of Weekly Newspaper Editors; vicar general, moderator and later administrator of the Curia; member of the Archdiocesan Vocation Council; associate director of the Archdiocesan Commission on Human Rights; chairman of the Interfaith Clergy Council of St. Louis; and director of the Archdiocesan Pro-Life Committee.
Named Monsignor by Pope Paul VI, in February, 1977, aged 52, he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Louis, receiving his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Britonia on February 10, 1984, from Archbishop John Lawrence May, assisted by Bishops George Joseph Gottwald and Charles Roman Koester.
Elected administrator of Archdiocese of St. Louis on December 11, 1992, while Archbishop John L. May was suffering from fatal brain cancer, Bishop O'Donnell was named the Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette by Pope John Paul II on November 8, 1994, succeeding Msgr. Harry Joseph Flynn, following the latter's nomination as Coadjutor Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. O'Donnell was installed in his see on December 16, 1994.
Resigning his office at 71 years of age on November 8, 2002, due to health reasons, O'Donnell never got the chance to accomplish his wish list, including learning to play golf. He wasn't given enough years of good health.
O'Donnell suffered from failing health including Parkinson's, and took his last breath at 10 o'clock Sunday night, of Sunday, February 1, 2009, aged 77, at St. Agnes Home in Kirkwood. "He watched the Super Bowl last night, had a bowl of chili and died. It's typical the way that he would've wanted it. He died a happy man", described Monsignor Robie Robichaux, the Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Lafayette.
The Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette, Monsignor Edward Joseph O'Donnell was born to Edward J. O'Donnell and Ruth M. Carr, on July 4, 1931, in Saint Louis, Missouri, and was ordained to the priesthood at 25 years of age on April 6, 1957, by Cardinal Joseph Elmer Ritter.
Associate of the parish of St. Gabriel, O'Donnell served furthermore within the Diocese of St. Louis as pastor of the parishes of Notre Dame in Wellston, St. Roch's in St. Louis, and St. Peter's in Kirkwood; director of the Archdiocesan Radio and TV Office; editor of the Archdiocesan Newspaper, St. Louis Review, the Golden Dozen Award Winner, and of the Conference of Weekly Newspaper Editors; vicar general, moderator and later administrator of the Curia; member of the Archdiocesan Vocation Council; associate director of the Archdiocesan Commission on Human Rights; chairman of the Interfaith Clergy Council of St. Louis; and director of the Archdiocesan Pro-Life Committee.
Named Monsignor by Pope Paul VI, in February, 1977, aged 52, he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Louis, receiving his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Britonia on February 10, 1984, from Archbishop John Lawrence May, assisted by Bishops George Joseph Gottwald and Charles Roman Koester.
Elected administrator of Archdiocese of St. Louis on December 11, 1992, while Archbishop John L. May was suffering from fatal brain cancer, Bishop O'Donnell was named the Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette by Pope John Paul II on November 8, 1994, succeeding Msgr. Harry Joseph Flynn, following the latter's nomination as Coadjutor Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. O'Donnell was installed in his see on December 16, 1994.
Resigning his office at 71 years of age on November 8, 2002, due to health reasons, O'Donnell never got the chance to accomplish his wish list, including learning to play golf. He wasn't given enough years of good health.
O'Donnell suffered from failing health including Parkinson's, and took his last breath at 10 o'clock Sunday night, of Sunday, February 1, 2009, aged 77, at St. Agnes Home in Kirkwood. "He watched the Super Bowl last night, had a bowl of chili and died. It's typical the way that he would've wanted it. He died a happy man", described Monsignor Robie Robichaux, the Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Lafayette.
Associate of the parish of St. Gabriel, O'Donnell served furthermore within the Diocese of St. Louis as pastor of the parishes of Notre Dame in Wellston, St. Roch's in St. Louis, and St. Peter's in Kirkwood; director of the Archdiocesan Radio and TV Office; editor of the Archdiocesan Newspaper, St. Louis Review, the Golden Dozen Award Winner, and of the Conference of Weekly Newspaper Editors; vicar general, moderator and later administrator of the Curia; member of the Archdiocesan Vocation Council; associate director of the Archdiocesan Commission on Human Rights; chairman of the Interfaith Clergy Council of St. Louis; and director of the Archdiocesan Pro-Life Committee.
Named Monsignor by Pope Paul VI, in February, 1977, aged 52, he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Louis, receiving his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Britonia on February 10, 1984, from Archbishop John Lawrence May, assisted by Bishops George Joseph Gottwald and Charles Roman Koester.
Elected administrator of Archdiocese of St. Louis on December 11, 1992, while Archbishop John L. May was suffering from fatal brain cancer, Bishop O'Donnell was named the Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette by Pope John Paul II on November 8, 1994, succeeding Msgr. Harry Joseph Flynn, following the latter's nomination as Coadjutor Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. O'Donnell was installed in his see on December 16, 1994.
Resigning his office at 71 years of age on November 8, 2002, due to health reasons, O'Donnell never got the chance to accomplish his wish list, including learning to play golf. He wasn't given enough years of good health.
O'Donnell suffered from failing health including Parkinson's, and took his last breath at 10 o'clock Sunday night, of Sunday, February 1, 2009, aged 77, at St. Agnes Home in Kirkwood. "He watched the Super Bowl last night, had a bowl of chili and died. It's typical the way that he would've wanted it. He died a happy man", described Monsignor Robie Robichaux, the Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Lafayette.
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