By Paula Day

Helen Donnelly combined a deep concern for others, an outgoing personality and her knowledge of books, and created a ministry that touched hundreds of lives.

The owner and president of the Trinity Book Shop at Ignatius Retreat House, died June 17 of cancer. She was 65. For 10 years she dedicated 12 to 15 hours a day every day of the week to what her husband, John Donnelly, called "the fulfillment of her life."

According to Father Kerry Clark, SJ, until recently director of Ignatius House, Mrs. Donnelly saw her work as ministry.

"People would come into the bookstore to buy a book, or just come in, hurting, in pain, searching. Helen would befriend them." Much of her ministry was in guiding people to reading material that might help them with a specific problem, Father Clark said.

"If they were having trouble with a teenager, or alcohol, or drugs, she'd say, "Here's a book to help you."

Father Clark recalled that a young couple who had moved to Atlanta came into the bookstore and in the course of their conversation Mrs. Donnelly asked them what parish they were in. When they told her they didn't belong to a parish because their marriage had not been blessed by a priest, she located the Catholic church closest to their home and encouraged them to contact the pastor. "They did and got back into the Church," Father Clark said, "and that's just one example of the hundreds -- the thousands -- of people whose lives she's touched."

Mrs. Donnelly worked as a volunteer at Notre Dame Book Store, the first Catholic bookstore in Atlanta, when it was located at Ignatius House. Its management decided to locate elsewhere and Father Larry Hein, SJ, director of Ignatius House at the time, asked Mrs. Donnelly to maintain a bookstore at the retreat house. She accepted and the entire bookstore became the Trinity Book Shop with Helen Donnelly as owner.

"She was a fantastic friend," according to Ada Myers, who retired last year after being general manager of Ignatius House for 16 years.

"She was gifted in what she did -- she was a 'people person' -- she had a gift for finding things she believed would help people."

John Donnelly said his wife was close to the Jesuit priests who minister at Ignatius House. She was able to recognize the problems of those looking for direction and would put them in touch with a priest who could help them.

"She learned it by experience -- how to deal with people," Mr. Donnelly added.

Helen Shearer Donnelly was born in Easthampton, Mass., one of seven children. She was a member of All Saints parish in Dunwoody. She is survived by her husband, a daughter, Mary Ellen Donnelly of Acworth and three sons, Michael Donnelly of Alpharetta, John Donnelly, Jr., of Somerset, NJ, and Brian Donnelly of Lawrenceville.

She is also survived by those she befriended and those connected with Trinity Book Shop where "everybody was family -- they were her second family," her husband said.

Chris Frain, a 27-year-old Catholic, wrote a letter to Mrs. Donnelly three days before her death. The letter was quoted at the funeral Mass attended by family and close friends at Ignatius House. It seemed to sum up how many felt about Helen Donnelly. In it Mr. Frain wrote:

"I can't think of any place (other than church) that helps me get closer to the Lord than the bookstore. There is a peaceful, warm, comforting feeling in that place. The presence of Jesus Christ is everywhere there. It seems to embrace you as you turn the corner and see your smiling face. And really, it's not the place at all that creates the feelings and the mood, because the place is nothing more than sticks and bricks. The atmosphere is created by you. Your smile, your attitude, your laugh, your music, the way you take an interest in the people you come in contact with (and make them feel important) and your demeanor in general create a safe, warm, calm harbor for all to take on stormy weather, or to refuel for another trip in this incredible journey of life ... You have been and are now a tremendously inspiring example of a loving, God-serving, Christian."