Father Donnelly Served 47 Years in East Elmhurst

A Mass of Christian Burial for Father Eugene G. F. Donnelly, who spent 59 years as a parish priest in Queens, was celebrated Feb. 15 at Our Lady of Fatima Church, East Elmhurst. He died Feb. 12 in the parish rectory at the age of 91.
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio was the main celebrant. Special concelebrants included Msgr. Michael J. Brennan and John E. Mahoney, and Father John Gildea. Father Casper J. Furnari preached the homily.
Born in Astoria, Father Donnelly attended Cathedral College, Brooklyn; and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, L.I. He was ordained May 22, 1948 by Bishop Thomas E. Molloy at St. James Pro-Cathedral, Downtown Brooklyn.
He served as an assistant at St. Luke’s, Whitestone, 1948-65, and Our Lady of Fatima, East Elmhurst, 1965-2007.  He retired in 2007 but remained in residence at Our Lady of Fatima.
“When I think of Father Donnely I think of someone who is humble, simple, prayerful, and very loyal to the Church,” said Father Furnari. “There are many things that would come to mind. He loved the Church and he loved the Blessed Mother. He loved helping people and he was able to serve generations of people in his 47 years at Our Lady of Fatima.  He knew the youth, he knew the parents, he knew the grandparents. He really is a legend there.
“He served the youth of the parish in a great way. He was loved by them and he did a lot for them over the years. He would take young people for trips. They would go to the mountains; they would go boating, camping.
“He would love to plan trips, but he also brought them to say the rosary and to come to church. Many of them came to church and still do because of his influence.
“He would hear confessions for many hours, even in the last few weeks. He would come in the wheelchair. His aide would wheel him into the confessional in church and he would hear confessions.
“He was a wonderful model and example of the priesthood.
“I lived in the parish. He came to the parish when I was still in the seminary. He was a great example and inspiration to me as a dedicated priest. I admired his humility,” he said.
Father Furnari noted that “St. John Vianney is honored as the patron of parish priests. The people of Our Lady of Fatima parish have had their own Father Vianney in the person of Father Eugene Donnelly.”
Burial was in Mount St. Mary’s Cemetery, Flushing.

Brother Walter Marcus Bluhm, S.C., a Brother of the Sacred Heart for 72 years, died Feb. 3, at Maria Regina Residence, Brentwood, L.I., where he was a resident since 2005.
Formerly known as Brother Harold, he was born in Williamsport, Pa. He pronounced his perpetual vows in 1946 in Huntington, L.I., and earned a doctorate in educational psychology from Fordham University.
In the Brooklyn Diocese, he served at Msgr. McClancy Memorial H.S., East Elmhurst, for 41 years on two different occasions as teacher, guidance counselor and assistant principal.
He is survived by his sister, Mildred Litzerman of Harrisburg, Pa.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Feb. 8 at Our Lady of Fatima Church, East Elmhurst, with interment in the Brothers’ Cemetery in Metuchen, N.J.

Father Vincent E. Butler, S.J., 80, a native of Queens,  died Feb. 8, at the Jesuit infirmary, Murray-Weigel Hall, Bronx. He was a Jesuit for 61 years.
After attending Xavier H.S., Manhattan, and Fordham University,   he entered the Society of Jesus at St. Andrew-on-Hudson in Poughkeepsie.
He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Pernicone in the  Fordham University Chapel on June 20, 1963. He completed  the final year of Jesuit formation, tertianship, in Dublin, Ireland, 1964-65.
For  11  years, he directed at St. Ignatius Retreat House, Manhasset, and at the Shrine of the North American Martyrs, Auriesville, N.Y.
He also taught at Xavier H.S., 1989-2001.   In 2001  he was assigned to  Loyola Hall at  Fordham University where  he assisted in the Jesuit community.
He is survived by his sister,  Sister Edna Butler, D.W. of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Convent, Sound Beach, L.I.
Burial was at the Jesuit cemetery, Auriesville.

Sister Olivia Clifford, R.S.M., formerly Sister Mary Olivia, a Sister of Mercy of the Americas Mid-Atlantic Community, for 76 years, died Feb. 2. She was 94.
She was raised in St. Jerome’s parish, Flatbush, where she attended elementary school and graduated from Mercy Juniorate H.S. She entered the Novitiate in Syosset on Feb. 2, 1936 and professed her final vows in 1941.
She was a graduate of Manhattan College and earned her master’s of social work from Fordham University.
She taught at St. Agatha, Sunset Park, 1938-40; St. Gerard Majella, Hollis, 1940-41; St. Gregory the Great, Crown Heights, 1941-44; Sacred Heart, Adelphi St., 1946-48; and Holy Innocents, Flatbush, 1950-58.
Her ministry in social work began at Angel Guardian Home, Brooklyn, and continued in St. Mary’s Home, Syosset; Visitation Residence, Red Hook; and Mulrooney Manor, East Flatbush.
After retiring from formal ministry, Sister Olivia and her friend, the late Sister Dorothy Flaum, R.S.M., championed the cause of the poor in Red Hook. In 2003, she retired to the Convent of Mercy. When the convent closed, she moved to Holy Trinity Convent, Hicksville.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Holy Family Church, Hicksville, Feb. 5. Internment followed at St. Charles Cemetery, Long Island.