John Francis Donoghue

John Francis Donoghue (August 9, 1928 – November 11, 2011) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the second bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte in North Carolina from 1984 to 1993 and as the fifth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Atlanta in Georgia from 1993 to 2004.

Biography

Early life and education John Donoghue was born on August 9, 1928, in Washington, D.C., the second of four brothers born to Irish immigrant parents, Daniel and Rose (née Ryan) Donoghue. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and a Master of Sacred Theology degree from St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Priesthood

Donoghue was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Washington by Archbishop Patrick O'Boyle on June 4, 1955. After his ordination, Donoghue was assigned as assistant pastor at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish in Riverdale Park, Maryland, from 1955 to 1961. He was transferred in 1961 to Holy Face Parish in Great Mills, Maryland, staying there until 1964.

While originally planning to remain a parish priest, Donoghue was asked in 1964 to study for a Licentiate of Canon Law at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Bishop of Charlotte On November 6, 1984, Pope John Paul II appointed Donoghue as the second bishop of Charlotte. He was consecrated at Owens Auditorium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on December 18, 1984, by Bishop Michael Begley. Donoghue was installed on August 19, 1993.

In April 2004, Donoghue sent an edict to the priests in the archdiocese forbidding the selection of women to perform the traditional foot washing ceremony on Holy Thursday.

Retirement John Paul II accepted Donoghue's resignation as archbishop of Atlanta on December 9, 2004; he was succeeded by Bishop Wilton D. Gregory. His body lay in state at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Atlanta until his funeral mass on November 17, 2011, at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta.

Viewpoints

Abortion Donoghue said in 2004 that Catholic politicians who support abortion rights for women should be denied the eucharist.

Sexual abuse scandal Donoghue made this statement in 1993 about the sexual abuse of minors by priest scandal in the late 20th century:"Never before in our experience has the credibility of the priesthood itself been so shaken by the actions of some of our priests. Because we live under the shadow of their indiscretions, we are forced to take the witness stand of life and demonstrate by our lives and our actions that we indeed are men of integrity, men of God.”