A contemporary of his in Clonliffe, Fr Fintan Lyons OSB remarked: “His ministry in Limerick is strikingly evocative of what we are all now recognising as the synodal path to a new way of being church”.
His successor Bishop Brendan Leahy similarly noted: “His great mind was always working on building a Church of tomorrow, not on holding onto a Church of the past”.
Fintan’s observation resonates with my experience of working closely with Bishop Donal.
Before synodality became a term that we are growing increasingly familiar with, Bishop Donal was already leading our diocese along a pathway which was entirely congruent with all that Pope Francis recommends as the path God expects of the Church in the third millennium.
Back in the late 1990s he launched a Diocesan Listening Process, reminiscent of the consultation recently promulgated by the Universal Church. That Listening process informed much of the subsequent work around pastoral renewal and development.
He was prophetic in the true sense of the word, in that he had the capacity to see clearly what was going on around him and was aware of the guidance of the Holy Spirit leading us to something new. He actively promoted greater lay participation and responsibility, promoting pastoral councils and a variety of lay ministries at parish level and similarly he always surrounded himself with lay leadership groups at diocesan level.
Bishop Donal recognised the advantage of grouping parishes 25 years ago – he saw the possibilities of parishes working together, sharing resources and offering each other support.
He had a particular concern and care for the Eaglais Óg – the young people of the diocese. He was a regular and welcome presence on Muintearas Íosa gatherings and I accompanied him on a number of World Youth Days.
I particularly recall WYD 2000 in Rome. His love of the city and ease with the Italian language was something to behold. He also greatly enjoyed the annual diocesan pilgrimages to Lourdes. It was there we saw him at his most relaxed and came to know his talent for writing (and delivering) hilarious songs.
I recall one day on the way from the hospital to the grotto with assisted pilgrims, he pointed out to me a senior consultant who worked in UHL who was pulling a patient in a voiture. Donal was struck by the man’s humility and the overall example of Christian living created in Lourdes. He was blissfully unaware that he, a Bishop, was similarly pulling a voiture and the consultant was probably having similar thoughts about our humble bishop.
I know from experience as a young priest that he easily delegated and trusted others with responsibility. His style of decision-making was truly consultative. Early on, some clergy who were used to a different way, misinterpreted this as indecision on his part, wondering why he didn’t simply tell us what he wanted. In fact, he wanted decisions to come from the ground up, knowing that they would then be truly owned and so be more likely to succeed.
Perhaps his greatest gift was his extraordinary intellect. he was a fine theologian and writer whose Pastoral Letters were always inspiring and encouraging.
Shortly after coming to Limerick, Bishop Donal’s successor, Bishop Brendan Leahy correctly diagnosed the next step for Limerick ought to be a Diocesan Synod. After all, his predecessor had laid the groundwork and prepared the way for something that felt like we were now ready for.
Many fond memories come to mind. On his first day in the diocese a senior clergyman in Limerick spoke truthfully and directly to Donal: “You know we were hoping for one of our own”. He paused for dramatic effect and then continued, “But from this day forward you are one of our own”.
These words came true – we in Limerick took Donal to our hearts and he also took Limerick to his heart, choosing to remain in the diocese after his resignation, staying on where he was so fondly regarded.