donoghue was born and raised in washington, d.c., the second of four brothers born to irish immigrant parents, daniel and rose (née ryan) donoghue. on june 4, 1955, after receiving a bachelor's degree in philosophy and a graduate degree in sacred theology from st. mary's seminary and university in baltimore, maryland and roland park, maryland, and after ordination to the transitional diaconate, he was ordained to the priesthood for the roman catholic archdiocese of washington, by the then-archbishop of washington, patrick o'boyle, who was later a cardinal.