Father James M. Donagher, M.S., 76, a Missionary of Our Lady of La Salette, of 85 New Park Avenue, Hartford, CT, died Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at Hughes Health and Rehabilitation in West Hartford, CT. He was born October 11, 1939 in Hartford, CT, son of the late James and Rose Ann (Gallagher) Donagher. He attended Our Lady of Sorrows Grammar School and high school at the La Salette Seminary in Hartford. From there he attended junior college at the La Salette Seminary in Altamont, NY. He entered the Novitiate of the Missionaries of La Salette on July 1, 1959 and made his first profession of vows on July 2, 1960. He completed his studies in Theology and Philosophy at the La Salette Seminary in Ipswich and was ordained on May 28, 1966 at the La Salette Shrine in Ipswich. In his first year after ordination, he served as a prefect at the La Salette Seminary in Cheshire, CT. In 1967 he was appointed as the assistant director of vocations in Hartford and in 1971 was named an associate pastor at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Hartford. In 1978, he served as the associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish and then for seven years as its pastor. He loved being with the people and even taught himself Spanish in order to minister to them and to respond to their needs. He founded a shelter for the homeless and a soup kitchen to feed the hungry. The driving force of Father Donagher's life was his love and compassion for the poor and to work untiringly in their behalf. After a period of time away from the La Salette Congregation, Father Donagher asked to return and was received into the postulancy in 2010 and the novitiate in 2011. Father Donagher made his first profession of vows on January 1, 2012 and perpetual profession in March of 2014. In recent years, he was assigned to Sacred Heart Parish in Lebanon, NH and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Hartford. In 2014, he retired to the Hartford House community.
This year, Father was celebrating the 50th anniversary of his ordination. In addition to his La Salette confreres, Father Donagher is survived by his adopted daughter, Liza Donagher Miller and her husband Dr. Matthew Miller; cousins, Katherine Anderson and her husband, Hank; Seamus Donagher and his wife, Lorraine and many other cousins and friends. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, August 15, 2016, at 10:30 am at Our Lady of Sorrows Church at 79 New Park Avenue, Hartford, CT. The Most Rev. Peter Rosazza, D.D., will preside. Calling hours will precede the Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows from 8:15 to 10:15 am. Burial will be at Mt. St Benedict Cemetery in Bloomfield on Tuesday, August 16, 2016 at noon. Contributions in Father Donagher's memory may be made to: Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette Retirement Fund, 915 Maple Avenue, Hartford, CT 06114-2330. To share a memory with the Community or family, please visit dillonbaxter.com.