Three lessons I have learnt from his life (from his examples and my observations):

1. When you commit to something, commit fully and whole-heartedly. Or, don't do it. Fr. Donnelly's commitment to what he did, big or small, was total in every sense of that word.

2. The pursuit of excellence comes from practice, practice and practice, and then more practice --whether you are trying to spell complicated words correctly or trying to use good spoken or written English or learning to play better basketball. 

3. Help others succeed -- in education or in life. 

Fr. Donnelly's whole life can be summed up in four words: He lived for others.

That said, many years ago, I read John McPhee's excellent book called "The Headmaster". It was about the headmaster of a New England prep school. Today, as I went back to my notes from that book, I could not help thinking that many of the traits McPhee wrote about applied to Fr. Donnelly 

as well. 

Fr. Donnelly was someone who was smart enough to see through his oold students, but also someone 

empathetic enough to see them through during difficult times.

He will be missed.

oohi

ashu