[1][2] Di Donna entered the Trinitarian ranks in his late childhood and studied for the priesthood in Rome while later working for over a decade in the missions in Madagascar for evangelization purposes.

Di Donna carried out his duties with meticulous care to ensure the growth of his flock; he promoted the Azione Cattolica movement and advised his priests to hold frequent lessons in catechesis for people so as to have a better understanding of the faith.

His older priest brother Giovanni Battista helped him to enter the Trinitarian-run Santa Lucia school in Palestrina in Rome.

Di Donna decided to leave alongside four confreres in June 1926 for the missions at Miarinarivo in Madagascar for the purposes of evangelization.

The group met Pope Pius XI in a private audience before a farewell Mass for them held in the San Tommaso in Formis church on 4 June.

[3][2][1] He was noted for his good humor and for his tireless apostolate despite governmental hostilities towards the missionaries and rampant diseases such as the bubonic plague.

His installation came in the midst of pouring rain but the first thing he did upon getting out of the car before the Mass was to kiss the land; this action led to spontaneous applause from the faithful.

But the cause remained dormant until 18 October 1991 when the Congregation for the Causes of Saints validated the informative process and in 1993 received the Positio from the postulation for additional research and assessment.

Di Donna was later proclaimed as Venerable on 3 July 2008 after Pope Benedict XVI confirmed that the late bishop had lived a model life of heroic virtue.