KATHMANDU (UCAN) — Catholics bade farewell to American Jesuit Father James J. Donnelly who died here on Aug. 17. The priest, who had dedicated his life to education in his adopted homeland, was 80 and suffering from various ailments.

Portrait of Father James Donnelly at his funeral

“Father Donnelly was a warm-hearted person and an astounding teacher,” Jesuit Father Augustine Thomas Amakkatt told the crowd at the funeral held at the Church of our Lady of Assumption on Aug. 17.

The late priest was also a “walking encyclopedia of chronology of Nepal,” an expert on the Himalayan mountain peaks and a lover of Nepal’s natural beauty, Father Amakkatt said.

Father Donnelly was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and celebrated his 80th birthday on Aug. 5 this year. He came to Nepal as a young priest just after his ordination in 1961.

He was assigned to teach English at Godavari St Xavier’s School, one of two Jesuit-run schools in Nepal. Over the years, he taught students who went on to become doctors, engineers and businessmen.

Father Donnelly remained at the school till 1968 when he moved to St Xavier’s School at Jawalakhel, staying there until 1980. He then returned to Godavari St Xavier’s where he was principal until 1990.

He began writing textbooks for schools in 1991. He wrote three English language textbooks — “The Writing Handbook,” “The Workbook I for the Writing Handbook” and “The Teachers’ Key.”

The priest was among four Jesuits to receive the highest award given by the state to the public. Former King Gyanendra Shah gave him the Gorkha Dakshin Bahu III for his dedication to teaching young people in the country.

The other Jesuit recipients of the award were Father Marshal Moran, Father Casper Miller and Father Lawrence Maniyar, the current regional superior of the Jesuits in Nepal.

Father Maniyar told UCA News that Father Donnelly was also renowned for his trips abroad to raise funds, mainly for the construction of school buildings and houses for Jesuits in Nepal.

Various people shared their recollections of Father Donnelly with UCA News.

“His English was great and he taught the boys very well. He was strict but loving and caring as well,” said Rama Parajuli, a Catholic whose son was taught by the priest.

Catholics paying their last respects to Father Donnelly at the Church of Our Lady of Assumption on Aug. 17.

“He had this special gift of spirituality that touched everyone he met and had this amazing knack of remembering the names of all his former students.”

Maggie Fetch, who knew Father Donnelly from her early childhood, “deeply regretted” his death.

“Priests like him are rare and very few exist in the country,” she said. “No one can forget how friendly he was, his ability to recognize people and talk to them even if he had met them only once.”

According to Father Amakkatt, Fr Donnelly’s most popular activity was showing his large collection of slides which featured the development of Nepal and the growth of the Jesuits among others.

Father Maniyar said the priest had died with one regret — he failed in his attempts to become a Nepali citizen. Father Maniyar said Father Donnelly had always remarked: “Nepal is my home; Nepalis my people.”