Eric Doyle OFM: Blessed John Duns Scotus, Teilhard de Chardin and a Cosmos in Evolution

Abstract

Born in Bolton on 13 July 1938, the son of a mill-worker, Martin William Doyle was educated at St Joseph’s R.C. primary school and then, having obtained an academic scholarship, at Thornleigh Salesian College. He entered the Order of Friars Minor at the age of 16, made his solemn profession the day after his twenty-first birthday and was ordained to the priesthood on 16 July 1961, which required a dispensation in view of his young age. This was followed by studies in Rome at the Athenaeum Antonianum, 1962-64, where Doyle trained as an ecclesiastical historian and where he received his doctorate summa cum laude, obtaining maximum possible marks. Inspired by Vatican Council II Doyle was at the forefront of the renewal process and was tireless in his efforts to put the teaching of the Council into practice. Recognised as an international scholar and lecturer, the focus of this theological multi-tasker’s work was always on the present moment, ensuring that it had contemporary relevance. Much of his work was ahead of its time, prophetic even, and he brought astute and far-sighted observations to bear on many areas of theology, yet was able to harmonise everything into a single vision, for example that of St Francis with Teilhard de Chardin. He was a founding father of the Franciscan Study Centre in Canterbury. He lectured at home and abroad, gave numerous retreats, took part in ARCIC I debates, and made over 500 programmes for television and radio. He was a participant at the Second Scotistic Congress in Oxford/Edinburgh in 1966, the International Bonaventurian Congress in Rome in 1974, the first International ‘Terra Mater’ Seminar in Gubbio in 1982, as well as numerous conferences on Teilhard de Chardin, of which Association he was also vice-president until his death. In addition, his enormous capacity for work enabled him to publish over 100 articles and two books in his short life. Doyle was a humble and self-effacing man who did not seek his own aggrandisement; his was always a life of service. Extremely likeable and memorable, his irrepressible character, gentle humour and great kindness