Proof Documents Sent to Vatican: Sainthood Campaign for Fr. Willie Doyle
The Irish Catholic Church is preparing to send thousands of documents prepared for the sainthood process of Fr. Willie Doyle, a chaplain who lost his life in World War I, to the Vatican.
A special ceremony was held at Mullingar Cathedral by the Irish Catholic Church for the canonization of Irish priest Fr. Willie Doyle, who lost his life while rushing to the aid of wounded soldiers during World War I. With the ceremony, the investigation process, which compiled thousands of documents to be presented to the Vatican, has been completed.
Dublin-born Fr. Willie Doyle served as a military chaplain in the 16th Irish Division of the British Army during World War I. Serving on some of the war's bloodiest fronts such as the Somme, Messines, and Passchendaele, Doyle was known for repeatedly rushing under fire into areas known as No Man's Land to carry wounded soldiers to safety or to provide comfort to those in their final moments.
Doyle lost his life on August 16, 1917, during the Battle of Passchendaele as a result of artillery fire while attempting to assist two wounded Protestant soldiers, including a young officer from Belfast, 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Vivian Green. The Irish Catholic Church considers him an "ecumenical martyr of charity" because he died while serving soldiers belonging to other Christian denominations.
The sainthood campaign is being led by the Dublin-based Fr. Willie Doyle Association, which consists mostly of civilians and is supported by members of the clergy. Bishop of Meath Tom Deenihan sealed the evidence packets collected as part of the investigation, while bishops and members of the Doyle family gathered at the closing session at Mullingar Cathedral.