OBIT: James DONNELLY, 1892, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm REV. FATHER JAMES DONNELLY. The Funeral of the Pastor of St. Mary's Church, Hollidaysburg, Yesterday. Our Hollidaysburg correspondent writes: St. Mary's Catholic church was the scene yesterday morning of the most largely attended and impressive funeral service held in this town of recent years. The church was well filled with a congregation composed of prominent citizens from Altoona, Tyrone, Gallitzin and this place, and hundreds of people stood on the sidewalks outside. The decorations, composed of heavy bands of mourning suspended over the heads of the worshipers, heightened the solemnity and many were the manifestations of grief over the departure of the beloved pastor, Rev. Father James Donnelly. The profuse and beautiful floral emblems about the burial casket consisted of pillows and crosses of roses, carnations and chrysanthemums. Twenty-five priests chanted the divine office for the dead. Among the visiting clergymen were Very Rev. E. A. Bush, of Altoona; Father Boyle, of Johnstown; Father Bell, of McKeesport: Father Welsh, of Newry; Father Ryan, of Gallitzin; Father Heine, of Hollidaysburg: Fathers N. J. O'Reilly, F. P. Smith, Matthew Smith, Zwickert and Shanahan, of Altoona; Father Brady, of Lillys; Father Smelter, of Mansfield; Father Deasy, of Ebensburg; Father Farran, of Cambria City; Father Rosensteel, of Ashville; Father McHugh, of Wilmore; Father Gallagher, of Tyrone; Father Gallagher, of New Castle; Father McDermott, of Pittsburgh, and Father O'Connell, of Connellsville. The solemn high requiem mass was celebrated by Father Ryan, of Gallitzin, with Father Brady, of Lilly, as deacon; Father Smelter, of Mansfield, as sub-deacon, and Father F. P. Smith, of Altoona, as master of ceremonies. The panegyric was pronounced by the Very Rev. E. A. Bush. He made a happy reference to the present church festival of All Souls week, explained the dogma of the communion of saints and his discourse teemed with exalted sentiments. While the congregation viewed the remains before passing out St. Mary's excellent choir, led by Mr. James M. Lingafelt, with Miss Mary Hart presiding at the organ, sweetly rendered "Rest, Spirit, Rest." The following church societies were in line in the funeral procession: St. George’s society, branch 129 of the Emerald Beneficial association, Young Ladies' Sodality of the Blessed Virgin and delegations from the Altoona and Gallitzin branches of the Emerald Beneficial association. The Children of Mary, who had been the particular objects of Father Donnelly's fostering care, were also in the procession. A great multitude stood with uncovered heads in St. Mary's cemetery, while the chant of the Miserere went up from the lips of twenty-five fathers. St. Mary's mourns now the loss of the profound Welsh, the courtly Reardon, the learned Haggerty and the eloquent Donnelly. Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Saturday, November 5, 1892, page 1