Bishop Doyle always ready to serve others

Former Edmonton priest dies at 90

By BILL GLEN
WCR Staff Writer
Kelowna, B.C.

Doyle, the only priest of the Edmonton Archdiocese ever to be named a bishop, headed the Nelson, B.C., Diocese for 32 years before retiring in 1990.

Father Emmett Crough, currently ministering in Norman Wells, N.W.T., met Doyle at pivotal points of his vocation.

"I worked for him when I was first ordained, and then he lived with me for 10 years (at St. Anthony in Edmonton) after he retired," Crough said.

"He was a very committed priest, for sure. He worked all day, every day - long, long hours for the sake of what he thought was the good of the parishes and dioceses he was involved with. He never complained.

"I understand he was still focused on these things the night before he died."

Born in Calgary on Feb. 18, 1913, Doyle, one of 12 children, was raised mainly in Edmonton. He attended Sacred Heart School and St. Joseph's High School. He received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Alberta in 1935 and studied theology at St. Joseph's Seminary in Edmonton. He was ordained a priest by Archbishop J.H. MacDonald of Edmonton June 5, 1938.

Doyle continued his studies at St. Paul's University Seminary in Ottawa, obtaining his doctorate in canon law in 1949.

Following his ordination, Doyle held several positions in the Archdiocese of Edmonton. He was an assistant at St. Joseph's Cathedral and acting pastor at St. John's and Assumption parishes in Edmonton. He was also chancellor of the archdiocese and professor of canon law at St. Joseph Seminary.

Doyle was named bishop of Nelson on Oct. 9, 1958.

Msgr. Donald MacDonald, vicar-general of the archdiocese, first met Doyle when he was a student of canon law at St. Joseph's Seminary. They eventually became good friends.

"He was a pretty understanding professor, very pastoral in his approach," McDonald said.

"At that time he was also chancellor of the archdiocese. He was very efficient, showing great pastoral sense."

Doyle was known as a great builder, initiating the building of several churches throughout the archdiocese. He also chaired the committee to build the new St. Joseph Seminary at its current location on St. Albert Trail.

"Bishop Doyle was always willing to assist on Sundays when he was free to do so," MacDonald said. "He always had the concern of the Church at heart. He always encouraged and supported younger priests. He was very faithful to prayer life.

"He always felt it was important to celebrate the Eucharist wherever possible."

MacDonald said his friend loved the Edmonton Eskimos, especially the golden era teams of the 1950s. The pair went to a number of games. "He knew the game very well and enjoyed it very much. Those were great days," he said.

"He was very efficient, showing great pastoral sense." - Msgr. Donald MacDonald

Education in the late 1960s when the Come to the Father catechetical series was expanded into English Canada from Quebec, where it began more than a decade before Vatican II.

He served as national director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (1962-86), president of the then Office for Religious Education (1966-70), director of the National Office of Religious Education (1966-67) and chairman of the Episcopal Commission for Religious Education (1966-69).

As a young bishop, Doyle became caught up in the excitement of Vatican II (1962-65).

"It was a good time to be alive," he said of the ferment during and after the Second Vatican Council in a 1998 interview with the WCR.

"So many people were open to change. I've always admired the perception of John XXIII (who called the council). He knew the world was changing. He knew that the Church had to change and speak to a different world."

Evidence of Doyle's admiration was apparent when he named Sister Katherine Meagher as the first female chancellor of a Canadian diocese, in 1976.

Upon returning to Edmonton in retirement, Doyle lived at St. Anthony's Parish where pastoral assistant Bev Curtis was awestruck by his desire to selflessly serve people.

"He was about 77 when he came to St. Anthony's and he lived here for 10 years," Curtis said. "He once joked he was coming here as he pleased and that there would be no meetings because he pictured hell as being one long meeting."

Instead, Doyle wanted to do pastoral work as chaplain to Edmonton hospitals. He didn't want to be known as a bishop, Curtis said. He just wanted to be known as Father Doyle.

"What he wanted to do was to serve, getting in touch with people. And that is what he did. He ran Bible studies. He took care of the Cross (Cancer Institute). He was always willing to do anything that involved helping others.

"And he had a wicked sense of humour. He would say something pointed, but he always had a twinkle in his eye. He gave me a picture from when he was ordained and said it proves that he once had hair."

Doyle assigned himself tasks around the parish including emptying the garbage, returning the recycling and buying the groceries. It was true humility.

He also taught himself the computer and quickly wrote three large volumes of his family history.

"He loved to be the chief cook at any parish function," Curtis said. "His specialty was flipping burgers on a barbecue. He'd show up in his cowboy hat and take over. He'd give big hugs that let you know how much he appreciated you.

"He was so much fun to have around."

Bishop Doyle's funeral was to be held at Immaculate Conception Church in Kelowna Sept. 18 with interment at the Mary Immaculate Cathedral in Nelson.

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