May 30, 2006 – Toledo, Ohio—His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI today accepted the resignation for reasons of age submitted by the Most Reverend Robert W. Donnelly, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Toledo. Bishop Donnelly has served as Auxiliary Bishop of the diocese since 1984. He submitted his letter of resignation in accordance with Church law, which calls upon Bishops who have completed their 75th year to present their resignation to the Pope (Canons 401,411).

As Auxiliary Bishop, Bishop Donnelly assisted the late Bishop Hoffman and more recently Bishop Blair in providing episcopal ministry to the 19 counties of the diocese. Bishop Donnelly also served as Vicar General and as Secretary of the diocesan Administrative Services Secretariat and of the Personnel Secretariat. In 2003, during the period between the death of Bishop Hoffman and the appointment of Bishop Blair, Bishop Donnelly served as the Diocesan Administrator.

Bishop Donnelly was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Toledo on May 25, 1957 at Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral. He first served as an Associate Pastor in Fostoria and Toledo parishes, and then as Pastor of parishes in Landeck - Spencerville and Sandusky. His priestly assignments also included faculty memberships at Fostoria’s Saint Wendelin High School, Oregon’s Cardinal Stritch High School and Saint John High School in Delphos, Ohio.

A faithful advocate of social justice, Bishop Donnelly has served on Church and civic boards through the years, most recently as a member of the U.S. Bishops’ Pastoral Practices Committee, Evangelization Committee and African American Catholics Committee.

Bishop Donnelly holds a Master’s Degree in Theology from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from Saint Meinrad College Seminary, and has attended graduate school programs at Mount Saint Mary Seminary in Norwood, Ohio, Xavier University in Cincinnati, and the University of Toledo. He is a graduate of Toledo Central Catholic High School and Blessed Sacrament elementary school in Toledo.

Upon receiving word of Bishop Donnelly’s retirement, Bishop Blair stated: “Although Bishop Donnelly’s retirement from the Office of Auxiliary Bishop is richly deserved after his many years of service, he will certainly be missed. I will always be grateful to him for the vast knowledge of the diocese and the pastoral wisdom that he has shared with me since my appointment of Bishop of Toledo in 2003. I am very happy that he plans on keeping his residence here in his hometown of Toledo, where he will continue to remain active as one of our Senior Clergy. I pray that he will be blessed with many more happy and healthy years in the Lord’s service.”

A native of Toledo, Bishop Donnelly feels truly blessed to have served the Diocese of Toledo. “I am thankful to God for the call to serve and share the Good News of Jesus Christ for almost 49 years in the Diocese of Toledo. I am grateful to Pope John Paul II for calling me to the office of Bishop and to Pope Benedict XVI for acceptance of my resignation. My affiliation with five faith-filled Bishops, hundreds of priests, men and women of religious orders, deacons, seminarians, countless and wonderful parishioners and folks of all ages in the parishes and schools and institutions in Northwest Ohio has been a blessing beyond measure. I am ever thankful for their prayers, witness, friendship, hospitality and sense of humor. It has been a privilege and honor to serve the Diocese of Toledo.”

Bishop Donnelly will reside at Blessed Sacrament Parish Rectory.

The Diocese of Toledo, established April 15, 1910 encompasses 8222 square miles in a mixture of urban and rural areas that spans 19 counties across Northwest Ohio, serving 306,532 Catholics. The diocese includes Allen, Crawford, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Huron, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Williams, Wood and Wyandot counties.
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