The Most Rev. Paul V. Donovan

Entered into his eternal reward on Thursday, April 28, 2011. The Most Reverend Paul V. Donovan, Bishop Emeritus of Kalamazoo, was born September 1, 1924 in Bernard, Iowa and was the fifth of nine children of Jon and Loretta (Carew) Donovan. His family moved to Lansing, MI, where he attended St. Mary Cathedral High School.

In September 1941, he began preparation for the priesthood. He spent three years at St. Joseph Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan (college I-II), and then attended St. Gregory Seminary, in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he graduated in 1946 with a BA in Philosophy. The next four years were spent in the study of theology at Mt. St. Mary Seminary, in Norwood, Ohio.

Bishop Donovan was ordained a priest on May 20, 1950, at St. Mary Cathedral, in Lansing, Michigan, by the Most Reverend Joseph H. Albers. Bishop Donovan’s priestly service began with an appointment as Assistant Pastor at St. Mary Church in Jackson, Michigan in 1950-1951. This was followed by a four-year period as Bishop Albers’ secretary and secretary to the Diocese of Lansing, and as an Administrator of St. Peter’s Church, in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. Beginning in September 1955, he spent two years studying in Rome at the Lateran University, where he received a Licentiate Degree in Canon Law. Upon his return to Lansing, he resumed his duties as Bishop’s secretary and assisted in pastoral work at neighboring parishes in the Lansing Diocese.

In June 1959, he became pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Michigan Center. Under his guidance, a parish school and a mission church were built. At the same time he was quite active in community affairs, serving on a variety of church and secular groups. In January 1968, Father Donovan was transferred to St. Agnes Parish in Flint. There he continued his activities by serving on the Genesee Catholic Board of Education, the Lansing Diocesan Conciliation Panel, the Bishop’s Personnel Committee, and the Priests’ senate.

On July 21, 1971, the Diocese of Kalamazoo was established by Pope Paul VI and Father Paul Donovan was ordained and installed as the first bishop of the new diocese. The Episcopal Ordination took place at St. Augustine in Kalamazoo. The Principal Consecrator was John Cardinal Dearden; Archbishop of Detroit and the co-consecrators were Bishop Alexander Zaleski, Diocese of Lansing and Bishop Joseph Green, Diocese of Reno. He took as his Episcopal motto the scriptural injunction “To serve rather than to be served.”

After his ordination as Bishop, he has served on the Committee for Canonical Affairs of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and on the Education Committee of the United States Catholic Conference. From 1972-1977, he served as Episcopal Moderator of Region V of the Cursillo Movement. He served as a member of the NCCB/USCC Ad Hoc Committee on Hispanic Affairs from 1979-1987 and as a member of the board of Trustees of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C., from 1981 to 1989. On November 22, 1994, Bishop Paul V. Donovan announced that he was resigning as Bishop for health reasons.

He was preceded in death by seven brothers and sisters: Helen McCarthy, Rita McCarthy, Leonard Donovan, Bernadine Clinton, Maureen Curtis, John Thomas Donovan, and Elizabeth Donovan. He is survived by one sister, Florence (Sr. Maureen) Donovan.

Reception of Bishop Donovan’s body will take place Monday 1:00 PM at St. Augustine Cathedral. He will lie in state from 1:00-8:00 PM, the rosary will be recited at 7:00 PM that evening. Bishop Donovan’s body will lie in state on Tuesday 1:00-8:00 PM at the Cathedral, where a Vigil / Prayer Service will be celebrated at 7:00 PM. Final viewing will be held Wednesday from 9:30 AM-10:45 AM at St. Augustine Cathedral. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, with His Excellency Most Reverend Allen H. Vigneron, Archbishop of Detroit and Metropolitan of the Michigan Province as Presider. Entombment Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Following the entombment, food and fellowship will be shared at the Fr. Crowley Cathedral Center.

Please visit The Most Rev. Paul Donovan’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can read Bishop Donovan’s complete biography, archive a favorite memory or photo and sign his online guest book. Memorial donations may be made to The Bishop Paul V. Donovan Shepherds’ Care Fund for seminarian education and the support of retired priests. Donations may be sent to: The Diocese of Kalamazoo, attn: Business Office, 215 N. Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007. Arrangements by Life Story Funeral Homes, Betzler – Kalamazoo (800-822-7594).