On May 1st 1893, the Jesuit novice William Doyle wrote:
“Darling Mother Mary, in preparation for the glorious martyrdom which I feel assured thou art going to obtain for me, I, thy most unworthy child, on this the first day of thy month, solemnly commence my life of slow martyrdom by earnest hard work and constant self-denial. (With my blood I promise thee to keep this resolution, do thou, sweet Mother, assist me and obtain for me the one favour I wish and long for: To die a Jesuit Martyr.)[1] May God’s will, not mine, be done! Amen.”[2]
Fr. William Joseph Gabriel Doyle, SJ was born in March 3 1873 in Dalkey, Dublin. He was the youngest children of a very devout Catholic family. Even as a child he sought to die to himself and to practice virtue. He was very charitable, especially towards the poor. Not only did he give them food and money (even letting go of his little well-earned money with which he intended to treat himself. He liked sweet things.), he also served them by cleaning and painting their houses. He was also solicitous for their spiritual well-being.
Many good things can be said about Fr. Doyle. However, we should not think that he was already perfect at a very young age. Like the rest of the saints, he also had to struggle in order to reach sanctity.
At 18 he entered the Jesuit novitiate in Tullaberg, Rahan, but his formation lasted for 16 years in which he had to stay home because of poor health. He also had a nervous breakdown when a fire broke out in his novitiate. This is interesting because even with his miseries, God transformed, through Mary, his little servant into, as many say, the rock of courage for many during the first World War.
When Jesus was crucified at Calvary, He drew all of us to Himself and made Mary our mother. Like Mary, Fr. Doyle became the spiritual father of many, especially during the war. He made no distinction of race[3] or religion[4]. Like the Mediatrix of all graces, he sought to bring charity, peace and joy to all. He celebrated the Holy Mass for peace, preached conversion, heard confessions, cared for the wounded and buried the dead.
Being full of charity, he was also a very happy soul. In reading his letters, one can’t help but smile and even laugh much. One finds the greatest happiness in sacrificing oneself for God’s glory and the salvation of souls.
In his book “To Raise the Fallen”, Dr. Patrick Kenny offers us many war letters of Fr. Doyle. Here we will include some excerpts to show what Darling Mother Mary did for her faithful son:
“August 15 has always been a day of many graces for me. It is the anniversary of my consecration to Mary and of my vows in the Society… Knowing there were a good number of my boys about, I hurried back as quickly as I could and made my way up the long, narrow street. The shells were all coming in one direction… Bits of shrapnel came thud, thud, on the ground and wall around us, but neither I nor the men were touched”[5].
“I do not think there can be a more touching or soul-inspiring sight than to see a whole regiment go down upon their knees to hear that wave of prayer go up to Heaven, as hundred voices repeat the Act of Contrition in unison”[6].
After suffering a shell shock he wrote, “Then a strange thing happened: something seemed to whisper in my ear, one of those thoughts which flash through the mind: Did not that shell come from the hand of God? He willed it should be so… The thought that it was all God’s doing acted like a tonic”[7].
Fr. Doyle passed away on August 16 1917, a day after the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady which is also the day he professed his religious vows. He was helping to save some soldiers when they were hit by a German shell. At that time, he was 44 years old and had been a priest for 10 years.
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[1] The words in the parentheses were written in his blood.
[2] “About Fr Willie,”: The Father Willie Doyle Association, accessed October 24, 2025, https://williedoyle.org/about-fr-willie/
[3] Fr. Doyle made efforts to serve the German prisoners of war.
[4] A non-Catholic soldier told Fr. Doyle who was helping him that he was not “part of your Church”. Father replied “No. But you belong to my God.”
[5] Patrick Kenny, To Raise the Fallen (San Francisco: Ignatius Press), 52-53.
[6] Kenny, To Raise the Fallen, 71
[7] Kenny, To Raise the Fallen, 98