Career
He served as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford from 1965 to 1977. Born in Norwich, Connecticut, Donnelly was ordained a priest on June 29, 1934 for the Diocese of Hartford. On November 9, 1964 Pope Paul VI appointed him as the Titular Bishop of Nabala and Auxiliary Bishop of Hartford.
He was consecrated a bishop by Archbishop Henry O"Brien on January 28, 1965.
The principal co-consecrators were Bishop Vincent Hines of Norwich and Hartford Auxiliary Bishop John Hackett. Donnelly was an ardent supporter of farm laborers and served as the Chairman of the Bishop"s Committee on Farm Labor.
He also spent 20 years on the Connecticut Board of Mediation and Arbitration with 15 of those years as its chairman. He served as Hartford"s auxiliary bishop until his death on June 30, 1977 at the age of 68.