It is incredibly fitting that Mary Donnelly, 93, received a Lumen Gentium Award in Community Service and Charitable Outreach, as she has given back to her community her entire life.
Donnelly’s generosity is only exceeded by her faith and love toward those in need. She sees them, she hears them — she helps them.
The St. Andrew Church parishioner has served the community on Block Island for more than 55 years, not only as the Rhode Island state nurse, but more recently through a non-profit she founded, The Mary D. Fund. To this day, Donnelly manages the fund personally, helping residents who are unable to pay for necessities such as food, shelter, utilities and medical care. She uses funds provided by individual donations and fundraising activities, such as the annual Mary D. Ball, and pays the provider of the required amounts.
“Literally, thousands of individuals have been assisted, be it for food, rent, mortgage payments, tuition, health needs, and always, emergencies,” said Father Joseph Protano, pastor of St. Andrew Church. “Mary says and lives that she could not do the work without her daily attendance at Mass and reception of the Eucharist. She is a holy, prayerful person.”
“Mom’s Catholic faith is the foundation of her life and our family,” said her daughter Marguerite Donnelly. “As a nurse, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, everything she does is an expression of faith. She teared up when she found out about the award. Mom was so very touched. It’s an honor.”
Donnelly has been a parish trustee and a member of every ministry offered by the parish, explained Father Protano, having served as a lector, Eucharistic minister, a member of the parish and finance councils and leader in the Ladies Guild.
“She shows up wherever and whenever there is a need,” he said. “She is generous with the gifts God has given her. While all of this was going on, Mary was married, raised a family of five and enjoys the title of grandma and great-grandma to many offspring.”
Donnelly is beloved by many and her generosity and care is certainly known beyond Rhode Island, receiving national recognition for her many accomplishments, as her generosity has been featured on CBS News, MSNBC, in the New York Times and in the film “Island Nurse.”
