3rd. September,
2005.
Bishop
Peter celebrates Mass at
Holy Family Church.
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Bishop Peter
Doyle made his first visit to The Holy Family
Church on Saturday, 3rd. August. A
packed Church welcomed him and joined with many
visiting priests in the celebration of Mass.
A beautiful selection of music impeccably
performed by our own musicians and singers added
an uplifting experience to the service.
Bishop Peter later complimented our readers and
servers for their input and thanked everyone for
making him welcome at Holy Family.
One of the priests attending the Bishop at Mass
was our own Father Stan Maciuszek who was
celebrating 30 years of priesthood.
In recognition of this Bishop Peter made a
presentation to Fr. Stan on behalf of the parish.
The emotional highlight of the evening was when
Bishop Peter presented the Papal Bene Merenti
Medal to a very shocked parishioner, Rita Shay.
Father Kevin told the congregation of Rita’s
long and distinguished service to the Church, the
priests and the people of the parish.
A final presentation was made to the Bishop and
then at the end of Mass everyone was invited into
St. Anne’s Hall were refreshments were
available.
Bishop Peter availed himself of this time to move
among the parishioners and get to know them.
Bar Manager, Jeanette Fullwood and her team were
later thanked for the preparation and
presentation of the magnificent buffet |
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A
young lady in the congregation presented
Fr. Stan with some gifts.
Fr. Kevin told the congregation of Fr.
Stan’s great love of travelling.
He confirmed that they had resisted the
temptation of buying him fitness gear
or gardening tools.
Bishop Peter congratulated Fr. Stan on
achieving 30 years in the priesthood
and presented him with a very nice cheque
to enjoy a holiday.
Father Stan then thanked the Bishop,
Father. Kevin and everyone
for their kindness. |
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The
medal was instituted by
Pope Gregory XVI .
It is a gold medal worn on a
ribbon of white and gold,
the papal colours.
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Not only did Rita
Shay have the surprise of receiving such
a prestigious award from the bishop but
she also discovered that her family
circle had been hidden in the
congregation all evening.
They then came forward to congratulate
her after her presentation.
"Bene Merenti" literally
means,
"well deserved".
It is a Papal decoration conferred
on lay and religious people who have
in some way rendered distinguished
service to the Church.
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There
was a final small presentation made to the Bishop at the
end of Mass
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| No less than five priests
concelebrated Mass with Bishop Peter……
Fr. Emilio Lobo, Canon Bosco Clarke (the previous
parish priest, Fr. Stan, Fr. Kevin.Canon
Michael Hazell (the dean), |
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At the
reception afterwards in St. Anne’s Hall, there
wasn’t just one cake, but FOUR baked by our
incredibly talented Mary Jones. There was a cake for Fr.
Stan; Rita; the Parish and Bishop Peter. There was also
the usual outstanding buffet that we’ve come to
expect from the Club’s own Jeanette Fullwood. If
you’re not a club member then that is reason enough
to join so that you can take part in their quiz nights
and sample more of her goodies. Club
details.
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Monsignor Canon
Peter John Haworth Doyle was born on 3rd May 1944 at
Wilpshire, near Blackburn in Lancashire.
The eldest son of John and Alice Doyle, he has two
brothers, Christopher and John, and one sister, Alison.
His mother died in 1976.
His father remarried in 1978 and he and Peter's
stepmother, Catherine, now live in Southsea.
The family moved to Essex in 1951, and Monsignor Doyle
was educated by the Jesuits at St. Ignatius Prep School,
Buckhurst Hill and at St. Ignatius College, Stamford
Hill.
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Having
won a scholarship to Sandhurst he was due to go there
after his "A" levels and then onto the Royal
Artillery. However, in his final year at school, he
decided rather hesitatingly to offer himself for the
priesthood.
By then the family had moved to Hampshire where his
father had been appointed to his fourth headship at the
new All Hallows School in Famham. Monsignor Doyle decided
to approach the Diocese of Portsmouth.
Archbishop John Henry King accepted him as a student for
the priesthood, and he was sent to Allen Hall then at
Ware in Hertfordshire.
Monsignor Doyle was ordained priest by Bishop Derek
Worlock in St. John's Cathedral, Portsmouth on 8th June
1968.
At that time Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor was
secretary to Bishop Worlock. Since then Monsignor Doyle
has always worked in parishes in the Diocese of
Portsmouth firstly with the late Bishop Derek Worlock,
then with the late Bishop Anthony Emery and now with
Bishop Crispian Hollis - assistant priest at St.
Joseph's, Copnor 1968-70, assistant priest at St.
Edward's, Windsor 1970-75, administrator at St. John's
Cathedral, Portsmouth 1975-87, parish priest at St.
Joseph's, Maidenhead 1987-91, and parish priest at St.
Peter's, Winchester 1991-2005 and also at St. Gregory's,
Alresford since 2004. |
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Till now he has been a member of the Council
of Priests, a Consultor and a member of the Cathedral
Chapter and since 2001 a member of the Bishop's Council
and a Vicar General. In the past he has been Dean of
Portsmouth and of Winchester, has chaired various school
Governing bodies, and was Chairman of the Diocesan
Schools Commission and the Diocesan Religious Education
Council. In the autumn of 2003 he was the Diocesan
Administrator while Bishop Crispian Hollis was on
sabbatical.
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In Winchester Monsignor Doyle had been
looking forward to the challenge of being the one
resident priest there and to the developments flowing
from the Diocesan Pastoral Assembly taking place in July.
Over the years there has been a commitment to justice and
peace with the Parish Covenant with the Poor. There are
good relationships with Winchester Cathedral and with the
other Christian communities in the City. Recently
Monsignor Doyle took on the role of chairman of Churches
Together in Winchester. He had also just completed a year
as chaplain to the City's Catholic mayor, and is
currently chaplain to the High Sheriff of Hampshire.
Since 1994 he has enjoyed the privilege of being a member
of the Old Brotherhood of the English Secular Clergy from
which he has to resign on his appointment as Bishop.
To relax Monsignor plays golf badly with his fellow
clergy. He always comes last in the Clergy Golf
competitions! He played squash until recently and he goes
skiing once a year usually to Wengen. He enjoys an annual
summer holiday with two priests who were his assistants
at St. John's Cathedral, Bishop Declan Lang and Father
Vincent Harvey. In earlier days he played rugby for
Windsor and Portsmouth as a prop forward.
He now enjoys watching rugby and is looking forward to
the Lions tour to New Zealand.
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Most importantly, Monsignor
Doyle is looking forward to getting to know the priests
and people of the Diocese of Northampton so that, under
the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he can play his full
part as their Bishop in the life and mission of the local
Church.
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