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The death of Fr Donal O'Doherty, pastor emeritus of Holy Cross Parish, Dundrum, Dublin, has saddened all who knew him, especially the thousands of parishioners he ministered to in 15 different appointments throughout the Archdiocese of Dublin.
Donal was born in 1932 in Glenbeigh, Co Kerry, was a boarder in St Brendan's, Killarney, from 1946 to 1950 and then entered Holy Cross College, Clonliffe Road, to study for the priesthood. He was ordained in 1957 and nominated a monsignor in the mid-1990s, a distinction he wore lightly. He died on February 14th.
After ordination he did a H. Dip in UCD and was subsequently appointed catechetical adviser of schools in the diocese. He was sent in the late 1960s for postgraduate studies to the Catholic University of America, Washington DC, to study "in the light of Vatican II" the newly emerging disciplines of catechetics and religious education. This was a farseeing educational initiative by the diocese.
On his return to Dublin, he was appointed to Mater Dei Institute of Education in the early 1970s.
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He brought back from the US the importance of new and diverse methodologies in the teaching of religion. He served in Mater Dei Institute as a lecturer in catechetics for nine years. He made a lasting contribution to the professional formation of teachers of religion for secondary schools in Ireland.
He was appointed to Ballyfermot as parish priest, where he served for nine years, and from there to Dundrum as parish priest.
During his time in Dundrum parish, he made a lasting impact on the pastoral life of the parish and its schools which he visited weekly. His gentle demeanour endeared him to the pupils he encountered over very many years.
Donal laid firm foundations for the development of the parish and the renovation of Holy Cross Church in the context of the newly emerging Dundrum Town Centre.
Donal was an educator, a storyteller, and a conscientious pastor. He had a great sense of humour which, along with the gift of storytelling, he put to good use in teaching and preaching.
As a storyteller, he captured the attention of his congregation very quickly. As a person, gifted with a great sense of humour, he made a deep impression on his listeners.
Donal will be remembered for many things: the pastoral care of people, the warmth of his humanity, his welcome and hospitality, his inclusivity, his wit, his humour, his disarming smile and storytelling.
For many, however, it will be the nuggets of wisdom contained in his homilies over many years. He prepared conscientiously for the Sunday Homily.
This preparation began on Monday morning with consultation among friends and colleagues.
The result of this process was the delivery of carefully crafted, memorable homilies.
A Dundrum parishioner offered me spontaneously two quotations from Donal's homilies. In the context of struggling with the perennial question of human identity and who we are, Donal summed up: "If humanity was good enough for divinity, then there must be something special about humanity."
Another nugget of wisdom from the same parishioner recalled instantly Donal’s insight into the human condition in the following words: “The dust that we are is already shining with Easter gold.”
His legacy will live on among the people in the parish of Dundrum, in the local schools, and in the beautiful fabric of Holy Cross Church, both on the inside and on the outside of the church.
May his gentle soul now experience the Easter gold “in Christ” that he preached on so eloquently in the past.