Obituaries

Chicago, IL (April 13, 2016) – Rev. Msgr. Richard Joseph O’Donnell passed away on Monday, April 11, 2016. Msgr. O’Donnell was the Pastor Emeritus of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Chicago, now Blessed Sacrament Parish, and remained a resident there until his passing. He was 105 years old and the oldest Archdiocesan priest, just a few weeks short of celebrating his 81st anniversary of priesthood.   

Msgr. O’Donnell was born in Chicago on October 15, 1910. He attended St. Bridget and St. Basil Schools in Chicago, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and graduated from the University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary.  Msgr. O’Donnell was ordained into the priesthood on April 27, 1935, by George Cardinal Mundelein, Archbishop of Chicago.

Msgr. O’Donnell served as Assistant Pastor at St. Gabriel Parish in Chicago (1935-41); Our Lady of Peace Parish on Jeffery Boulevard (1941-48); St. Bernadette Parish in Evergreen Park (1948-50); and St. Ita Parish in Chicago (1950-63). In 1963, Msgr. O’Donnell was named Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish on Hermitage Avenue, and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1981, when he was named Pastor Emeritus. The parish was closed in 2008 and is now Blessed Sacrament Parish.

He received the title “Monsignor” when he was named one of the Prelates of Honor of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, in 2010.

An avid baseball fan, in an interview with the Catholic New World in 2010, Msgr. O’Donnell reflected, “‘I’ve been a White Sox fan since I was a little boy and followed them all my life. My favorite player was second baseman Nellie Fox.’ O’Donnell threw out ceremonial first pitches at White Sox games in 2001 and 2009.”

In the same interview, he also offered advice to all young, busy pastors, “Do what Cardinal Bernardin did. He was busy too. He got up an hour early to get his prayers in. Prayer, whenever they say it, is very important. That’s how the priest will get along — by prayer. It’s a support, because you’re not all alone, you have God to help you.”

Rev. James Hyland, Pastor of Most Holy Redeemer Parish in Evergreen Park, will be the homilist at Msgr. O’Donnell’s Funeral Mass. He met Msgr. O’Donnell while serving as Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish and they spent about thirteen years together at the parish. He said, “He is our oldest priest in the Archdiocese and has been retired since the 1980s, but he never really retired.” He continued, “It’s amazing to see how much he still did in the parish and how he ministered to people right until the end. He was always a parish priest.”

Rev. Martin O’Donovan, Pastor of Saints Faith, Hope & Charity Parish in Winnetka, lived with Msgr. O’Donnell for about nine years while Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish. He recalled, “He was one of the finest guys I had ever lived with. He was about 73 years old when I first encountered him and he was so filled with life. I would pass by his room and see him praying the liturgy of the hours.” He continued on, “We would talk baseball, among other things, and he was so well-rounded in so many topics. He was just a very fine man. I was a very young pastor at the time and even though we came from different ages and different approaches, I learned so many great things from him.” Fr. O’Donovan concluded, “He was such an inspirational guy.”

Rev. Ismael Sandoval, Pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Chicago, had spent the past three years with Msgr. O’Donnell at the parish. “One of the things that impacted me most about him was that he wanted to concelebrate the Eucharist with me every single Sunday.” He reflected, “Msgr. O’Donnell was a very humble person, a man of prayer and he loved the White Sox.”

Visitation for Msgr. O’Donnell will take place on Friday, April 15, from 2 to 8 p.m., at Blessed Sacrament Parish / Our Lady of Good Counsel Worship Site, 3528 South Hermitage Avenue in Chicago. Visitation at the Parish will continue again on Saturday, April 16, from 9 to 10 a.m., followed by the Funeral Mass, which will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Archbishop Blase J. Cupich will be the main celebrant and Fr. James Hyland will be the homilist. 

Interment will take place at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chicago.

Msgr. O’Donnell is survived by a nephew, Richard Fitzpatrick.