Fr. Louis Scott Donahue (/skɑt_ˈdɑnəhˌju/; commonly known as Father Scott) is an American priest who is the president and CEO of Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, a Chicago-based childcare and residential home for children within the Archdiocese of Chicago.[1] Donahue also serves as resident priest at St. Robert Bellarmine parish.
Donahue is the president and CEO of Mercy Home for Boys & Girls. He came to Mercy Home in 1990 and since then he has established The academy at Mercy Home, an in-house education program, while also helping expand the Community Care program (formerly AfterCare program), which provides lifelong resources and encouragement to Mercy Home's former residents.[5] He also led a US$10 million expansion of the facility that allowed it to increase the number of youths in its care by 40 percent.[6] In 2017, Donahue revealed that the archdiocese will work with Chicago's Youth Guidance to develop parish-based programs for youth that help them overcome obstacles and succeed in life.[7]
Donahue ministers at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Parish in Chicago, and is the principal celebrant of WGN-TV Channel 9’s Sunday Mass at Mercy Home.[8][9]
Donahue was inducted in the Irish American Hall of Fame in April 2019 in the religion category for his 37-year ministry as a Catholic priest and his work at Mercy Home.[10][11] He has authored a book entitled Years of Mercy.[12]
