SUBIACO — Of all the details decided leading up to the funeral of a dignitary, one element that has been crossed off the list for many years prior to the April 1 death of Bishop Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald was selection of the coffin.

Bishop McDonald handled that detail himself some 30 years ago.

“The bishop attended a funeral here, and he saw the coffin we had made for the monk,” said Abbot Jerome Kodell, OSB. “This was back in the 1980s when he was still, of course, very vigorous. He requested that we make his and, of course, we were honored to do that.”

Like all of the abbey’s coffins, Bishop McDonald’s is constructed of yellow pine grown and harvested right on the abbey grounds. The simple design has rounded hand holds at the bottom to give pallbearers something to grasp. A removable black walnut cross rests inlaid in the lid. The cross is frequently given to the family prior to burial, so the cross-shaped carved socket is stained a dark shade to stand out when the cross is removed.

“That way the family can take the cross with them, and the coffin is still marked with a cross,” Abbot Kodell said.

The abbey has made coffins for the funerals of its monks only since the late 1970s, meaning Bishop McDonald is the first non-member to rest in the handiwork of the self-described “country monks.” Working off a photograph of Pope Paul VI’s coffin published in Time magazine in 1978, the monks developed a similar design for the Subiaco community.

Prior to that time, the abbey bought coffins through a local funeral home as needed, until the community decided it could be better handled in-house and added coffins to the abbey’s wood shop repertoire.

Since the late 1980s, Abbot Kodell himself has been one of the lead constructors of the coffins, initially taught by the abbey’s master woodworkers. He calls the work of building the coffins “spiritual” but acknowledged a lighter side to his unexpected knack for the job.

“There’s a running joke here,” he said. “Don’t let the abbot near you with a tape measure.”

Today, when a particularly nice piece of wood comes through the abbey sawmill, it is set aside specifically for coffin-building and the community keeps six coffins in reserve at any given time. Unlike some religious communities that manufacture coffins as a means of financially supporting the monastery, Subiaco only builds coffins for its own use.

“We get a lot of requests for coffins from people, but we’re just not set up for that,” Abbot Kodell said. “But if someone does request one, we are more than happy to share the design plans with them.”

A notable exception to this rule, of course, is the late Bishop McDonald, although Abbot Kodell said given the relationship the bishop maintained with the abbey, the project — meticulously measured to accommodate his miter — felt just like building for one of their own.

“He was a very close friend to the community and to me, personally,” Abbot Kodell said. “During his first visit here as bishop in 1972, my predecessor Abbot Michael Lensing said, ‘Bishop McDonald, this is your monastery.’ It’s a very, very great honor for us and we’re glad to do that.”

Catholic leaders who knew Bishop Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald were asked by Arkansas Catholic to reflect on their friendship and memories working with him as the bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock from 1972 to 2000.

“I’ve known Bishop McDonald for a long, long time. He was one of the first bishops I got to know personally, beginning back in the 1970s. The thing I want to say about him is this: More than anything it was his gentleness, he was always gentle and kind. I think it came from his personal relationship with the Eucharist. I saw him many times before the Blessed Sacrament and he was always so at home and at peace. It just gave me a sense of peace and joy to see that and I think it reminds us of the need to establish in our lives a faith in the real presence and an ongoing relationship with our Lord.”

Bishop Edward J. Slattery
Diocese of Tulsa

“What springs to mind is his sensitivity and compassion to other people’s needs. The most significant and pervasive aspect of his ministry was his care of the people, especially in sickness or dealing with grieving people. If someone was dealing with a serious incident, he was likely the first person at their front door to offer help. When he was transferred (to Arkansas in 1972), he asked me to go out to Blessed Sacrament Church to take his place. I wasn’t particularly happy about it because I knew I was stepping into the shoes of someone beloved by everyone. My own sense was that the first couple of years in Little Rock were difficult for him because of what he left behind but when he got into it, the diocese became his parish; that’s the way he lived his ministry.”

Bishop Emeritus J. Kevin Boland
Diocese of Savannah

“He was an extraordinary fellow. He taught me how to be a bishop because of his kindness, his compassion and his attention to people. The way he was never afraid to stand up for what was right. But also his prayerfulness, and the many qualities that he had were a great example to me as a young bishop coming in. I’ll never forget the help that he gave me.”

Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain

“The Second Vatican Council called on our Church’s bishops to make sacred Scripture a part of everyone’s daily prayer and spirituality. Bishop McDonald took that call to heart. He found a home-grown, parish-based Scripture study program here in Little Rock and asked that it become the faith formation program in every parish in the diocese. He established an office to further develop the program and assist parishes with its implementation. The program flourished and has spread to dioceses throughout the United State and in other nations as well. Bishop McDonald’s vision and support has opened countless hearts to the Word of God in sacred Scripture.”

Msgr. Richard Oswald
Former director of Little Rock Scripture Study
Diocesan divine worship director and assistant vocations director

“Certainly he was open. He was attentive, he’d listen. He was a good listener. If he didn’t agree with you, he’d tell you. He was of the people. He was a great letter writer. He’d write a note to people who’d lost a child and if he didn’t get there in person, he’d put something personal in there. He wanted to be on top of stuff, particularly pain and tragedy and poor people. He had a great voluminous correspondence.”

Msgr. John F. O’Donnell, retired

“In 1972, I wasn’t so sure I’d ever like Bishop McDonald. One of his first encounters with the folks of Fort Smith was to announce the closing of our Catholic high school, St. Anne’s Academy. I was a ninth-grade student and had no desire or imagination to attend any other school. We were crushed and he was the ‘bad guy’ in our limited experience of him. But he won me over throughout the years with his dogged efforts to be present to Catholics around all parts of the diocese, his openness to the reforms of Vatican II and the emergence of lay leadership, and his unwavering demonstration of care when people were sick and dying. In a particular way, his style of leadership allowed for the development of Little Rock Scripture Study, the first of its kind Bible study for lay Catholics, which has become a gift from our diocese to the Church throughout the U.S. and well beyond our borders.”

Cackie Upchurch
Director of Little Rock Scripture Study

“Bishop McDonald was a good friend to me. He encouraged me in my pro-life work and supported me every step of the way even when it was not the politically correct thing to do. He once reminded me that we had already won with the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. “

Rose Mimms
Executive director of Arkansas Right to Life

“As a priest, he taught me how to be a people person. I mean that almost sounds cliché, but he seemed to get along with everyone and seemed to be able to minister to everyone. He was always such a gentle person, obviously known for his great sense of humor.”

Father Tom Elliott
Pastor of Immaculate Conception Church, North Little Rock

“Bishop McDonald loved families, especially his own.  He often talked about his parents and being from a large family with great love and fond memories.  As our bishop nothing made him happier than to be around families.  He loved celebrating baptisms, confirmations, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas and Easter.  And he readily reached out to families that were hurting in his own consoling way in times of loss, tragedy or hardship.  He could always find the right words to express God's love in person and through his generous personal notes and letters.

Bishop McDonald shepherded the Catholic church in Arkansas as its spiritual father.  He was the head of this wonderful family, the Diocese of Little Rock.  And, as far as he was concerned, there was room for everyone in it. He and Pope Francis have in common the deeply held belief that the Catholic church should be welcoming to all because each person is created in the image and likeness of God.

Bishop McDonald took every opportunity to proclaim the Gospel of Life.  He was gentle but firm when preaching that life is sacred from its first moments in a mother's womb.  And he stood up to protect it at every stage and in all circumstances, leaving the end of life decisions to God.  When he looked into the eyes of another person, he knew Jesus was looking back at him.  I suspect Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta must have noticed this about him when she announced the decision to provide Missionaries of Charity Sisters for Abba House.

Bishop McDonald was also a personal friend that I grew to admire and love as a member of our family. We have a son, Andrew Joseph, named for him, and he was the Godfather for our other son, Vincent Paul. Our family will miss him, and I will miss his friendship.  He took a chance on me when I was a young man fresh out of graduate school, one I am sure no other bishop in the country would have taken, in asking me to help him run Catholic Charities in our diocese.  We had a lot of good years serving in the diocese together, a little of everything happened, just like being in a family.

Bishop McDonald is the last one who would want us to be sad about his passing.  He would want us to pray for him and ask God, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to have mercy on his soul in hopes of joining the eternal family of God with the Communion of Saints.  And I am certain he had a joke or two ready just in case St. Peter wanted a laugh before he opened the gates to heaven!"

Dennis Lee
Chancellor for administrative affairs

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The fifth bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock, Bishop Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald, was hailed by brother priests as a man consumed with love for his faith, family and flock during services April 7-8. The funeral services, which included a rosary, all-night vigil and Mass, were held at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in downtown Little Rock.

Bishop McDonald, who led the diocese from 1972 to 2000, died April 1 in Palatine, Ill. The diocese has not hosted a bishop’s funeral since Bishop Albert L. Fletcher died in 1979.

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor began the series of rites April 7 evening with the transfer of the body to the Cathedral church. Under brilliant late-day sun, seven priest pallbearers hoisted the simple, varnished wood coffin handmade by the monks of Subiaco Abbey up the front steps of the Cathedral. 

The coffin was slowly brought to the front of the church to the strains of “Praise the Lord the Almighty.” The procession was led by Andrew Joseph Lee of Little Rock, named for the late bishop, who carried the processional cross followed by Father Matt Garrison, Cathedral rector, and Msgr. Francis I. Malone, pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock.

The bishop’s coffin was placed on a tilted bier, or platform, on the steps before the altar and the two-piece lid was removed for viewing. The full-house congregation then came forward to pay their personal respects, some genuflecting, others touching the edge of the coffin or tenderly patting the late bishop’s foot. His fellow priests each made the sign of the cross over their brother before returning to their seats.

The vigil service included readings from Wisdom 3: 1-9 read by Dennis Lee, chancellor for administrative affairs of the Diocese of Little Rock, and John 14: 1-6 read by Deacon B.J. Bowen.

In his homily, Father John Connell, pastor of St. Raphael Church in Springdale, told the gathering that Bishop McDonald was known for his love of family, the Church, his priests and his flock.

“Not only was it 65 years of priesthood and episcopacy, it was 65 years of life immersed in the living out of the truth that the Church is the bride of Christ,” he said. “It’s not only what he did for us … but at the core of all he did was all of us. He understood that the Church is the people of God. The reason for every one of his accomplishments was us, so we could understand more that Jesus was the way, the truth and the life.”

After leading the congregation in praying the rosary, Bishop Taylor added his own brief remarks, thanking the religious and clergy and leadership in Palatine, Ill., where the bishop spent his final years as chaplain for the Little Sisters of the Poor, for their care of him in his final days. He also lent an air of humor to the service — a Bishop McDonald trademark — noting he once told his predecessor that he would one day occupy the crypt next to him, to which Bishop McDonald replied, “The race is on!”

Knights of Columbus and Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre stood their post as the bishop lay in state during the all-night vigil, which concluded at 10:15 a.m. April 8. By that time, the crowd had already swelled to near-capacity in advance of the morning’s funeral Mass.

At 10:45 a.m., Msgr. Malone led a small contingent to the bishop’s coffin and oversaw North Little Rock Funeral Home employees who replaced the interior cloth and closed and secured the two lid pieces. The funeral began at 11 a.m. on the dot under cold gray skies and light rain.

Among dignitaries concelebrating the Mass were Bishop Curtis J. Guillory of Beaumont, Texas; Bishop Michael G. Duca of Shreveport, La.; Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle, former bishop of Little Rock; Auxiliary Bishop George J. Rassas of Chicago; Archbishop Emeritus Joseph A. Fiorenza of Houston; Archbishop Paul S. Coakley  and Archbishop Emeritus Eusebius Beltran, both of Oklahoma City; Bishop John R. Gaydos of Jefferson City, Mo.; Bishop Emeritus J. Kevin Boland of Savannah, Ga.;  and Bishop Edward J. Slattery of Tulsa, Okla.

On one side of the aisle, the bishop’s family and special guests took up two pews, while on the other diocesan priests and bishops filled a dozen rows. Various members of religious communities were scattered throughout the congregation. Another seven rows were filled with members of the diocesan staff.

The visiting bishops and archbishops walked two by two in the procession, each wearing a plain white miter and chasubles to match the other clergy in attendance, except for Archbishop Sartain whose garb was trimmed in gold similar to Bishop Taylor’s. Upon reaching the coffin, Bishop Taylor sprinkled it with holy water and three Missionaries of Charity sisters placed the pall upon it.

The Liturgy of the Word included Exodus 18: 13-23, read by Greg Wolfe, diocesan finance director, and I Corinthians 4:1-5, read by Sister Diane Therese of the Cross, lsp of Palatine, Ill. The Gospel was John 14:15-21, proclaimed by Deacon John Marschewski, minister to deacons.

Former vicar general under Bishop McDonald, Msgr. J. Gaston  Hebert, who now lives in Albuquerque, N.M., delivered the homily. In words alternatingly witty and poignant, he told of the times in which Bishop McDonald came to Arkansas and the enormous challenges he faced in the wake of the Second Vatican Council.

“The design of the Spirit becomes more obvious in sending this strong, intelligent, hard-headed, stubborn Irishman, capable of holding his ground and standing up for what he knew was right for our Church, right for the sheep he was sent to shepherd and what he knew in his heart was the will of God as expressed through the authority of the Church he served and loved,” he said. “Because of that, he was willing to endure the reticent, even at times ugly and disrespectful attitude of those he was trying to lead to Christ.

“Upon his arrival in the diocese, Bishop McDonald stated, ‘With God’s help and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I will live and if necessary, I will die to prove that I care, to prove that I love,’” Msgr. Hebert continued, “This loving priest, this caring bishop brought peace to our diocese. While we Arkies had to sniff around him for a while to make sure he was genuine, he won us over, big time! Yes, he became loved and respected by laity, religious and clergy — because he kept his promise to show by his service that he loved us and cared about us.”

As he made his way back to his seat and touched the head of the coffin, the congregation gave him an extended ovation in appreciation of his remarks, closed with the singular line, “For Bishop McDonald, Lent is over. Easter has begun.”

Following Communion, Archbishop Sartain and Bishop Taylor made personal remarks on their interactions with Bishop McDonald. Archbishop Sartain relayed a well-known story of how Bishop McDonald honored his parents with every Mass, having had their wedding rings embedded on his chalice. He said the example of family devotion and love was just one of the things the late bishop taught him.

“Contrary to what you may think, there is no instruction manual for how to be a bishop,” he said in his impromptu remarks. “But I didn’t need one, I had Bishop McDonald.”

Bishop Taylor again thanked the many people who had supported the bishop in his later years, and the home-grown priests and people of the Diocese of Little Rock who assisted in his ministry, saying, “You stuck by Bishop McDonald during some very difficult days, which is part of the reason why our presbyterate is so united and faith-filled today.”

Bishop Taylor closed with his remembrance of Bishop McDonald at Archbishop Sartain’s installation as the sixth bishop of Little Rock. He said he was struck by how difficult it appeared for Bishop McDonald to let go.

“It was the only episcopal ordination I ever attended in the United States prior to my own, but even then I didn’t think bishops were supposed to talk that much about themselves on the occasion of somebody else’s ordination,” he said to laughter. “But I understand the feeling. He was walking his daughter down the aisle to give her to another man, and he loved that daughter — the Diocese of Little Rock — with all his heart.

“The abundance of his words was exceeded only by the abundance of his love for you.”

The hymn of final commendation, “May Choirs of Angels Lead You into Paradise” was sung to the Irish tune of “Danny Boy.” Six pallbearers bore the coffin down the stairs to the white marble crypt as the congregation sang “Jesus Remember Me.” Following a short blessing and responsorial, the coffin was placed in the crypt. Bishop McDonald, like the four bishops before him, was now forever one with the Catholic faithful of Arkansas.

PALATINE, Ill. — Chicago Cardinal Francis George, who had a friendship with the late Bishop Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald for 24 years, celebrated the funeral Mass before 150 people April 4 at St. Theresa Church.

Because St. Joseph Home for the Elderly was the late bishop’s residence for 12 years, a visitation, rosary and funeral were held to allow the residents and nuns he ministered to, as well as local residents, to celebrate his life.

From Little Rock, Greg Wolfe, diocesan finance director, Msgr. Francis I. Malone, chancellor for ecclesial affairs and pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock, and Marian Swift, the late bishop’s secretary, attended the services.

The visitation and rosary were held April 3 at St. Joseph Home for the Elderly. Among those attending were Bishop George J. Rassas, an auxiliary bishop in Chicago who befriended the bishop, Mother Marguerite McCarthy, the mother provincial, and Craig Yost, a local volunteer who accompanied the late bishop on his recent trips to Little Rock.

The bishop’s body was dressed in a chasuble with the image of Mary and the child Jesus, a miter with a St. Andrew’s cross and on his hand was his green episcopal ring. A green and gold cord and crucifix hung around his neck that belonged to his late sister, Sister Incarnata McDonald, RSM. He held a rosary from another sister, the late Sister Mary James McDonald, CSJ, with 12 medals attached, one for his parents and one for each of his 11 siblings.

About 100 people attended the rosary that night.

“The rosary was simplicity and beauty. I experienced the prayer almost as a dream,” Wolfe said. 

The funeral Mass was held at St. Theresa Church about a block and a half from St. Joseph Home. 

Five bishops, Little Sisters of the Poor and priests attended the funeral. 

“As he spoke the opening prayer, his voice broke and he had to pause when he mentioned the name of his friend, Andrew Joseph McDonald,” Wolfe said of Cardinal George. “It was the only time the cardinal stumbled over his emotions in the service.”

The first and second readings were read by Wolfe and Yost. Msgr. Malone delivered the homily.

“I was struck at the consecration that a Catholic funeral Mass differs from other Christian funeral celebrations,” Wolfe said. “At a certain point in our funerals, the focus moves from the deceased back to Jesus.”

After Communion Cardinal George shared how he developed a friendship with Bishop McDonald in 1990 when Cardinal George was serving in Yakima, Wash. Bishop McDonald commented in 1998 at his 75th birthday Mass, which the cardinal attended, that the cardinal was one of the smartest people he had ever met.

“(The cardinal) said that from the beginning ‘Andy’ was his friend and taught him about the nature of rural dioceses,” Wolfe said. “Over the years, he said that the most important thing he taught him was to take the responsibility of being ordained and being a bishop very seriously but to never take himself too seriously.”

Wolfe said he observed at the funeral that the late bishop had an influence on many lives while living in Illinois.

“Some would cry, especially at Communion when they came close to the casket containing the bishop’s body,” he said. “It was clear from the faces and interactions before and after and overheard comments that Bishop McDonald had touched each one in a loving, special way during his time in Palatine.”

Bishop Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald was laid to rest April 8 alongside other former bishops in a crypt at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock.

It’s a little-known feature of the Cathedral, set off into the northeast corner of the sanctuary. A small brass gate, resurrected from the long-gone Communion rail that was once a feature of the church, guards a staircase that leads to the well-lit, white marble-lined crypt.

Along one wall, eight individual spaces are set into the wall; the four previous bishops — Bishop Andrew Byrne, Bishop Edward Fitzgerald, Bishop John B. Morris and Bishop Albert Fletcher — are interred on the top row of the space, their final resting places marked with large bronze plaques. On one end of the chamber, a single kneeler sits beneath a large crucifix. Small black and white portraits of each former bishop rest on the kneeler.

The crypt used to be located on the southwest corner of the church, basically under the floor of the vestibule to the far right as one enters the Cathedral. According to the memoirs of the late John A. Healey, a local funeral home owner, the original crypt was a nondescript brick space.

The remains of Bishop Byrne, previously interred at Helena, were relocated there Nov. 30, 1881, and the crypt remained in use for 80 years, subsequently to hold the remains of Bishops Fitzgerald and Morris.

Age and elements deteriorated the original crypt; by 1939, water had invaded the space to such an extent that the walls and floor were deteriorating. The new crypt was completed in 1962. 

Margie Pullam, Cathedral docent, said the crypt is a popular part of Cathedral tours, not only for the usual collection of Catholic schoolkids and parishioners from across the diocese, but also art fans and history buffs from all faiths.

1923 to 1946: Savannah and Maryland

Oct. 24, 1923: Born in Savannah, Andrew Joseph McDonald was the 11th of 12 children.

1937: Entered St. Charles College in Cantonsville, Md., for high school and two years of college

June 11, 1943: His father, James McDonald, dies

1945: Entered St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore

 

1946 to 1972: Diocese of Savannah

May 8, 1948: Ordained a priest by Bishop Emmet Michael Walsh at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Savannah

May 9, 1948: Celebrated his first Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

September 1948: Entered Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., to study canon law

June 1951: Received his canon law degree

January 1952: Named judicial vicar of diocesan tribunal and assistant pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Port Wentworth until 1957

1956: Named a papal chamberlain, with the title of monsignor. Three years later he was named a domestic prelate with the title right reverend.

1959: Appointed spiritual director of St. John Vianney Minor Seminary until 1967

1963: Appointed pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Savannah. While there the parish became debt free for the first time in 50 years.

1967: Appointed vicar general of the diocese and diocesan comptroller

 

1972 to 2000: Diocese of Little Rock

June 11, 1972: Got a call from Bishop Gerard L. Frey announcing his episcopal appointment by Pope Paul VI.

Sept. 5, 1972: Ordained a bishop in the same cathedral in Savannah where he was ordained a priest.

Sept. 7, 1972: Installed fifth bishop of Little Rock at the Cathedral of St. Andrew

February 1973: Signed a statement blasting the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision with other members of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee for Pro-life Affairs

April 1973: Celebrated 25 years as a priest

July 15, 1973: Celebrated Mass on the Mississippi River to mark the 300th anniversary of Marquette and Joliet’s expedition bringing the first Catholic Mass to what would become Arkansas

Aug. 26, 1973: Presided at a Mass in Spanish

Oct. 3, 1973: Met with Pope Paul VI for the first time in Rome

Sept. 1-Oct. 1, 1974: Attended a monthlong Bishop’s Theological Consultation in Rome and makes first ad limina visit with Pope Paul VI.

April 1975: Made a holy year pilgrimage to Rome and meets pope again

May 1975: Announced renovation of the cathedral to accommodate liturgical changes occasioned by the results of Vatican II

Sept. 14, 1975: Attended canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first-native born saint for the United States

Nov. 7, 1981: Ordained 21 men to the permanent diaconate. He started the first diaconate training program in August 1978.

May 1982: Joined other religious leaders to ask Gov. Frank White and his opponent Bill Clinton to stop using capital punishment as an issue in their campaigns

June 2-3, 1982: Welcomed Mother Teresa to Little Rock. She provided Missionaries of Charity sisters to run Abba House for unwed mothers.

August 1985: Inaugurated Renew, an evangelization program in diocese, with a Mass at the Old Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock for 4,100 people

Oct. 5, 1991: Celebrated Mass for the first Encuentro for Hispanics to celebrate their faith

October 1991: Received Mary Rose Doe Award from Arkansas Right to Life

Jan. 12, 1993: Prayed during ecumenical service for President-elect Bill Clinton

Aug. 11-15, 1993: Attended World Youth Day in Denver with 380 teens from state

Nov. 26, 1993: Led a ceremony at Arkansas Post and St. Mary Church in Plum Bayou to kick off the sesquicentennial of the diocese

Nov. 6, 1994: Concelebrated the closing Mass for the 150th anniversary.

January and February 1995: Toured diocese to herald the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

May 16, 1995: Addressed priest shortage with the establishment of the pastoral administrators program

January 1996: Declared year a Eucharistic Year and asked that adoration be observed at least once a week in all parishes.
Issued a pastoral letter on Hispanics called “Immigrants in our Midst”

Sept. 5 and 7, 1997: Marked his 25th anniversary as a bishop with two Masses

May 8 and June 13, 1998: Observed his 50th anniversary as a priest with Masses in Little Rock and Savannah

Oct. 24, 1998: Turned 75 years old and submitted his resignation to Pope John Paul II. Celebrated Mass at the Statehouse Convention Center

January 1999: Missed Mass for Life and pilgrimage to St. Louis to see Pope John Paul II because of emergency open heart surgery

Jan. 4, 2000: Ceased being bishop of Little Rock with the announcement of Father J. Peter Sartain as the sixth bishop

 

2000 to 2014: Little Rock and Palatine, Ill.

April 2002: Said farewell to diocese to become the chaplain at St. Joseph Home for the Elderly in Palatine, Ill

September 2008: Celebrated his 60th anniversary as a priest with Mass in Little Rock

June 2010: Participated in dedication of The McDonald Center at St. John Center in Little Rock

October 2011: Celebrated 88th birthday with a cake during Arkansas Catholic's centennial reception

Sept. 7, 2012: Observed his 40th anniversary as a bishop with a Mass at the Cathedral of St. Andrew

April 1, 2014: Died at St. Joseph Home for the Elderly in Palatine, Ill.

Bishop Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald, known throughout Arkansas as the bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock for 28 years, died April 1 at St. Joseph Home for the Elderly in Palatine, Ill. He was 90.

Bishop McDonald served the Catholic Church for 65 years. He was a priest for the Diocese of Savannah, Ga., from 1948 to 1972 and bishop of Little Rock from 1972 to 2000. After retirement, he began a new ministry in 2002 as chaplain for the Little Sisters of the Poor and the elderly residents at St. Joseph’s Home in Palatine. In 2013, he retired as chaplain but remained at the home as a resident.

Andrew Joseph McDonald was born in Savannah, Ga., to James and Theresa McDonald Oct. 24, 1923, the 11th of 12 children. When he was 13 years old, he entered the minor seminary of St. Charles College in Catonsville, Md., to begin his studies for the priesthood. In 1948, he graduated from St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore and was ordained a priest on May 8. Shortly after ordination, he began studying canon law at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., later transferring to the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, where in 1951 he received his doctorate in canon law.

His parish assignments in the Diocese of Savannah included assistant pastor at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist; associate pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Port Wentworth; and pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Savannah from 1963 until 1972. Between 1952 and 1972 he served in various diocesan roles, including judicial vicar, chancellor and vicar general. He was named a monsignor in 1956 and was appointed a domestic prelate with the title right reverend monsignor in 1959.

He was ordained a bishop Sept. 5, 1972, in Savannah and was installed as the fifth bishop of Little Rock two days later at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock.

He traveled Arkansas as the bishop for 28 years, using his humor, preaching and concern for others to shepherd the Diocese of Little Rock. During his episcopacy, there were many accomplishments and new initiatives as he implemented the changes resulting from the Second Vatican Council. Focusing in particular on the increased participation of the laity in the mission of the Church, he encouraged the establishment of numerous lay movements, including Cursillo, Search, Catholic charismatic renewal, Marriage Encounter, Retrovaille, youth ministry, and campus ministry. He established several advisory boards, including the Council for Black Catholics, the Clergy Welfare Board, the diocesan Council for Women Religious and the diocesan Building Commission. He worked to provide affordable housing for the elderly through the establishment of Good Shepherd Home in Little Rock and Christopher Homes throughout the state. He spoke and worked for the poor, supporting the establishment of Catholic Charities of Arkansas. He was active in ecumenical and interreligious efforts and worked with the Arkansas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. He reached out to the Vietnamese and Hispanic Catholics who moved into the diocese. Catholic schools and religious education were always important to Bishop McDonald. He supported the growth and development of Little Rock Scripture Study, continuing education for the clergy and the restoration of the permanent diaconate. He always encouraged vocations to the permanent diaconate, priesthood, and religious life. While he was bishop, the Cathedral of St. Andrew and St. John Center in Little Rock were renovated, and St. John Manor was opened to provide a residence for retired diocesan priests.

Of all his efforts, none were more important to Bishop McDonald than his work for the unborn. He was a member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Pro-Life Committee, participated in the Arkansas March for Life and inaugurated an annual Mass for Life. In 1982, he wrote to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who responded with a personal visit to Little Rock during which she agreed to send the Missionaries of Charity to operate Abba House, a home for pregnant women and their children. He opened Catholic Adoptions Services and supported the implementation of Project Rachel, an outreach to women suffering from the consequences of abortion.

In 2000, Pope John Paul II accepted his resignation when Bishop McDonald was 76 years old. The bishop continued to live in Little Rock until March 2002, when he became chaplain at St. Joseph’s Home in Palatine.

Bishop McDonald loved being with people. He was a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus Assembly #173 in Savannah and a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Over the years, he led many pilgrimages to Rome, Lourdes, Ireland and the Holy Land. He enjoyed playing a quick game of golf and keeping up with his favorite football teams. He was known for his humor, his smile, his laugh. He had many friends among bishops and priests around the country. Bishop McDonald loved the clergy, religious, and laity of Arkansas. He loved his home of Savannah, Ga., and was proud of his family and his Irish heritage. Bishop McDonald will be missed and remembered in prayer by many.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James Bernard and Theresa Ann (nee McGreal) McDonald; eight sisters: Alice Elizabeth Hiltz, Mary Dorothy McDonald (Sister M. Aurelia, CSJ), Josephine Frances McDonald (Sister Celine of St. Rose, LSP), Mary Bernadette Pigman, Genevieve Clare McDonald (Sister M. Incarnata, RSM), Theresa Ann McDonald (Sister Mary James, CSJ), Ann Frances Jordan, and Eleanor Rosalie Arnett; and three brothers: James J. McDonald, Eugene B. McDonald, and Richard A. McDonald. He is survived by one sister-in-law, Julia McDonald of Atlanta, and 78 nieces and nephews spanning four generations.

The reception of the bishop’s body will take place at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock at 6 p.m. Monday, April 7. At 7 p.m. Monday, a vigil service with rosary will be held at the Cathedral and will be followed by an all-night vigil, during which the church will remain open for prayer and visitation. The Mass of Christian Burial and interment will be celebrated at the Cathedral of St. Andrew Tuesday, April 8 at 11 a.m.  A light lunch will be served in McDonald Hall after the Mass. The church will remain open after the lunch for people who want to pray at the crypt.

Prior to the transfer of the bishop’s body to Little Rock, a special visitation, rosary and funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph’s Home in Palatine, Ill.

As requested by Bishop McDonald, memorials may be made to the Bishop Andrew J. McDonald Burse Fund to be used in perpetuity for the educational expenses of seminarians studying for the Diocese of Little Rock. Donations should be payable to: Diocesan Seminarian Fund, Inc., at P.O. Box 7239, Little Rock, AR 72217, with a notation “Bishop McDonald Burse.”

 

 

For nearly three decades Bishop Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald served Arkansas as a bishop, but he became a friend to thousands of people who he ministered to, traveled with, laughed with and consoled.

He reached several major milestones as a Church leader: 65 years as a priest, 41 years as a bishop and 28 years as the bishop of Little Rock.

On April 1 he died at St. Joseph Home for the Elderly in Palatine, Ill. He was 90.

Post your comments below and share with Arkansas Catholic readers on your favorite moments with the retired bishop. Did he marry you or baptize your children? Did you name one of your children Andrew? Did he comfort you following the death of a loved one? What was your favorite joke of the bishops?

The following articles were written about Bishop McDonald's recent anniversaries and retirement years.

2012 articles 

Colleagues join retired bishop to celebrate: http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/3158/Colleagues-join-retired-bishop-to-celebrate

Bishop McDonald's ruby anniversary: http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/3149

Reflections on Bishop McDonald's impact on diocese: http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/3150

Moments mark Bishop McDonald's career: http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/3152

 2011 articles

Celebrating 25th anniversary, bishop calls deacons 'bridge builders': http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/2776/Celebrating-25th-anniversary-bishop-calls-deacons-bridge-builders

Three bishops reflect on impact of Arkansas Catholic in state:http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/2750/Three-bishops-reflect-on-impact-of-Arkansas-Catholic-in-state–

2010 articles

Diocese names building for Bishop McDonald: http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/2203/Diocese-names-building-for-Bishop-McDonald

Building to be named for Bishop McDonald: http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/2005/Building-to-be-named-for-Bishop-McDonald

2008 articles

Mass marks 60 years in the priesthood for Bishop McDonald: http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/1421/Mass-marks-60-years-in-the-priesthood-for-Bishop-McDonald

Nearing 85th birthday, Bishop McDonald grateful for priesthood: http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/1416/Nearing-85th-birthday-Bishop-McDonald-grateful-for-priesthood