By Gretchen Keiser

Archbishop Thomas Donnellan was in stable condition and improving this week, following a stroke he suffered at his residence Friday afternoon, May 1. He is in intensive care at St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta.

"There's been a remarkable improvement in him in the last few days," said Monsignor John McDonough, vicar general of the archdiocese, on Monday. Monsignor McDonough is overseeing the ongoing work of the archdiocese during the archbishop's illness.

During a visit with him Monday, Archbishop Donnellan assented to the appointment of Monsignor McDonough and Monsignor Donald Kiernan, pastor of All Saints parish in Dunwoody, as extraordinary ministers of Confirmation to carry on, as normally as possible, the schedule of Confirmation services in parishes, the vicar general said.

News of the archbishop's illness spread through the parishes last weekend as people gathered for Mass and were asked to pray for the archbishop, who is 73 years old. In the midst of a busy spring schedule, which included many Confirmation ceremonies, the upcoming celebration of the Cathedral's 50^th anniversary and participation in the ecumenical National Workshop on Christian Unity, Archbishop Donnellan was principal celebrant last Thursday night at the Mass dedicating the new St. Andrew's Church in Roswell. On Friday he had already cancelled weekend and daily appointments and was resting at his residence. In mid-afternoon he was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph's Hospital accompanied by Father James Schillinger, the secretary to the archbishop. He was admitted at about 3 p.m.

Nancy Wood, a spokeswoman for the hospital, said Wednesday that the archbishop had shown continued improvement.

The archbishop's attending physician described it as a small stroke, Ms. Wood said.

Father Peter Ludden, chancellor, said that the stroke affected the right side, but that improvement in movement was taking place. "There is speech impairment right now, but that is improving," he said.

Meeting with the archbishop on Monday, Father Ludden said, "he does understand what is happening and is responding very positively. We're very pleased."

Monsignor McDonough said his role as vicar general would be to continue "the ordinary things in the absence of the archbishop."

"The things that have to be done will be done and we'll take it day after day," he said.

Preliminary plans were being made Monday to take care of the immediate needs, including the planned ordinations on two Saturdays in May of 51 permanent deacons for the archdiocese who are at the end of three years of preparation for ministry. Bishop Raymond Lessard of Savannah will be asked to ordain the deacons, if his schedule permits, Monsignor McDonough said. Other bishops will be asked if Bishop Lessard is unable to ordain the deacons as scheduled. "We decided not to postpone the ordination unless it is absolutely necessary," he said, adding that this was one of the matters brought to the archbishop at the hospital.

The 50^th anniversary celebration of the Cathedral was Monday night with Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago as principal celebrant and Cardinal Jan Willebrands from the Vatican Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity and Bishop Lessard as concelebrants.

A native of New York City who was ordained to the priesthood at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York in June, 1939, Archbishop Donnellan will celebrate his 19^th anniversary as archbishop of Atlanta this year. He was installed as archbishop on July 16, 1968, after serving for four years as bishop of Ogdensburg in upstate New York. A former treasurer of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, he most recently served on a committee of five bishops drafting a pastoral letter for the U.S. bishops on Catholic social teaching and the U.S. economy. His sister, Nancy Donnellan, also lives in Atlanta.

Mayor Andrew Young of Atlanta honored Archbishop Donnellan in remarks made to some 400 people gathered at the National Workshop for Christian Unity at the Pierremont Plaza May 5. The mayor said that the leaders in Atlanta had learned that despite differences it was "indeed possible to do so many things together." He said Archbishop Donnellan was "a very strong part" of the city's tradition of church leadership willing to work together to bring the kingdom of God about.

Noting that they had served together on the Community Relations Commission during the difficult civil rights days in Atlanta, the mayor said one of the reasons "we had no violence in this city was because men like Archbishop Donnellan were willing to spend time working with people like me," noting that at the time Young himself was a young activist "just a few months out of jail."

He asked the gathering to pray that the archbishop would have "continued ministry in this city."

Among those briefly visiting the archbishop were Cardinal Bernardin on May 5 and Cardinal Willebrands and those with him "offered a blessing" to the archbishop and "promised to remember him in their prayers," Father Ludden said.

The archbishop received the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick when he was admitted to the hospital on May 1 by hospital chaplain Father James Cummings, S.M.

The archbishop's attending physician said Tuesday that the archbishop was "alert" and "slowly improving," Ms. Wood said.