Evening star., 1935-10-29
RETREAT TFOUNDER,
L0NC|LL, D|ESAT71
Rev. Eugene de L. McDon.
nell, S. J., Gonzaga'S For.
mer President, Expires.

Rev. Eugene de L. Mcdonnell, S. j.,
former president of Gonzaga College
and founder of the laymen's retreat
movement in the Archdiocese of Bal
timore, died yesterday in the infirm-
ary at Georgetown University after
an illness of some months. He was
II years old and for many years had
been one of the most prominent
Jesuit preachers in the East.
Father McDonnell's health had been
poor for several years, but he did not
become seriously i'll until last Spring.
He was widely known in Washington,
not only because of his previous con-
nection as retreat master of Manresa-
on-Severn. near Annapolis but by rea-
son of many years of church work
here. He was formerly pastor of Holy
Trinity Church in Georgetown and of
St. Aloysuis Church.
Born in Baltimore December 20,
1864, he attended the Loyola High
School in that city and Loyola Col
lege, but was graduated with honors
at Georgetown University. He entered
the Jesuit novitiate at Frederick. Md,
March "a, 1887, and while still a
scholastic was assigned to teach t
Fordham College, New York, for five
years. returning to Woodstock Col
lege, Maryland, to complete his theo-
logical studies. He was ordained June
"a, 1908, by Cardinal Gibbons.
Assigned There in 1905.
Father Mcdonnell was assigned to
st. Aloysius Church in Washington in
1905, and member of the faculty at
GonZaga. He was active in parish
work at st. Aloysius and there formed
an organization that still flourisheS-
the Third Sunday Brigade-a religious
society of men who receive communion
in body on the third Sunday Of each
month.
After four years in the Office of
minister. Father Mcdonnell became
president of Gonzaga and rector of
st. Aloysius He remained in that
office until 1915, when he went to st.
Josephs College, Philadelphia.
He returned the next year as rector
of Trinity Church II Georgetown,
where he remained three years. Dur
ing that time he built the present
large parochial school and high school.
In 1919 he became rector of st. Ig-
natius Church in Baltimore.
Assigned to Work in Asia.
Father Mcdonnell was among a
group of American Jesuits to replace
German Jesuits in Bombay. India, but
plans changed before he sailed. Next
ne was ordered to undertake mission
work in the Philippines. but again
plans changed and he remained in
Baltimore.
1t was early in his life that he fos-
tered the laymens retreat, holding it
first at Georgetown University and
Mount St. Mary's College. In 1925.
after years of work in building up the
Laymen's Week End Retreat League,
composed OF many non-Catholics as
we'll as Catholics, Father Mcdonnell
built the present retreat house near
Annapolis. This is attended each year
BY many Washingtonians.
His work in recent years had been
done there When his health failed
he was retired in July and succeeded
as retreat master by Rev. Robert S.
Lloyd. S. j., former headmaster of the
Georgetown Preparatory School at
Garrett Park, Md.
Will Recite Rosary.
Father McDonnells body will be
placed tonight in the crypt at George
town University. where at 8 O'Clock
members Of the Washington section of
the League of Laymen's Retreat will
recite the rosary in his memory. All
during the night representatives from
the various Catholic parishes in Wash
ington will form guard OF honor at
the crypt until the body is taken away
tomorrow to Holy Trinity Church.
Father Arthur A. OIeary. S. j.,
rector of Georgetown. will celebrate
the requiem mass at the church at 9
am. The pallbearers and crossbearers
will be the officers of the League of
the Laymen's Retreat. Delegates from
the Southern Maryland, Western
Maryland and Baltimore sections of
the league will attend the funeral.
Father Mcdonnell will be buried in
. the Jesuit Cemetery at Georgetown
University.
. Father Mcdonnell is survived by his
I stepmother. Mrs. Eugene Mcdonnell
; of Baltimore; by four half-brothers,
: Lieut.. Col. john c. Mcdonnell, U. S. A.,
stationed at Schofleld Barracks,
Hawaii; Lieut.. Comdr Francis B. Nc
Donnell, U. S. N, now on the U. S.
plane carrier Saratoga; Maj. Austin NJ.
Mcdonnell, U. S. A., retired. of War
renton, Va, and Lieut.. Col. Edward o.
Mcdonnell, U. S. N, retired, of New
York, and by half-stster, Mrs.
Thomas H. Vickery of Baltimore.