in june 1993, he was appointed as the sixth metropolitan archbishop of atlanta, georgia by john paul ii, replacing the most reverend james p. lyke, o.f.m., who had died of cancer on december 27, 1992, after only two years in office. he led the archdiocese for over ten years. donoghue retired as archbishop on december 9, 2004, and was succeeded by wilton d. gregory, who had served as an auxiliary bishop of the roman catholic archdiocese of chicago.