Benedictine Father James A. O’Donnell, 95

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, Feb. 7, at 3 p.m. in St. Mary’s Abbey Church in Morristown for Benedictine Father James A. O’Donnell, who died on Feb. 1 in the Abbey Health Care Center. He was 95. For 75 years, he served St. Mary’s Abbey, a community of Benedictine monks — brothers and priests — who work and pray together.

Father O’Donnell’s funeral liturgy will be livestreamed on the abbey’s YouTube account.

Born in Elizabeth in 1929 to Patrick and Annie O’Donnell, Father O’Donnell had three sisters. They worshipped at St. Mary Parish in Elizabeth, where he attended grammar school. He graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark in 1947.

Father O’Donnell then enrolled at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. His undergraduate studies were interrupted in 1949 by his novitiate at St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison, Ks.

After completing his novitiate, Father O’Donnell professed simple vows in 1950. He completed his college studies in Latrobe in 1952. Then he went to Sant’Anselmo in Rome, earning a bachelor’s and licentiate of sacred theology.

Father O’Donnell made his solemn profession at Monte Cassino in 1953. The next year, he was ordained a deacon at the Archabbey of St. Martin, Beuron, in Germany. In 1955, he was ordained a priest at St. Peter’s Abbey, Assisi, in Italy.

After finishing his graduate studies in Rome, Father O’Donnell returned to the United States in 1957 to begin a long and distinguished ministry in education and administration.

For several years, Father O’Donnell taught Latin at St. Benedict’s Prep. In 1960, he began a long teaching career at St. Mary’s School of Theology and Delbarton School in Morristown. Since 1956, he held the following positions: vocation director (1956-1962), cleric master (1960-1964), prior (1968-1972), headmaster (1972-1975), subprior (1998-2000), novice and junior master (1982-1991), and treasurer (2000-2015).

From 1978 to 1982, Father O’Donnell ministered in Rome. He was director of the newly founded monastic renewal program at Sant’Anselmo and procurator for the American Cassinese and Swiss American Congregations.

His confreres often elected Father O’Donnell as general chapter delegate or an abbot’s council member.

Father O’Donnell’s body will be received at the abbey church on Thursday, Feb. 6, at 3 p.m. The Office of the Dead will be sung at 7 p.m. on Thursday. Viewing will be on Friday, Feb. 7, from 9 to 11 a.m. and from 1 to 2:30 p.m. before his funeral Mass at 3 p.m. in the abbey church.

Make donations in Father O’Donnell’s memory for abbey capital improvements, monks’ health care, or abbey endowment by visiting this link.

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