Emeritus Bishop Peter Doyle
Twelfth Bishop of NorthamptonBiography
Our shepherd and guide
Bishop Peter was ordained priest by Bishop Derek Worlock in St. John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth on 8th June 1968. Thereafter, Bishop Peter worked in parishes in the Diocese of Portsmouth – 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 from 2004. He was a member of the Council of Priests, a Consultor and a member of the Cathedral Chapter and from 2001 a member of the Bishop’s Council and a Vicar General. He was also Dean of Portsmouth and of Winchester, chaired various school Governing bodies, and was Chairman of the Diocesan Schools Commission and the Diocesan Religious Education Council.
from ordination to jubilarian
Peter Doyle was ordained as the twelfth Bishop of Northampton on Tuesday 28th June 2005, at Northampton Cathedral (the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate and St Thomas of Canterbury, Kingsthorpe Road, Northampton).
On 8th June 2018 Bishop Peter celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his ordination with a Jubilarians’ mass at Northampton Cathedral followed by a garden party in the sunshine.
On 3rd May 2019, having attained the age of 75, he has been required to offer his resignation to the Pope, but will remain as our bishop until a successor is appointed.
To relax the Bishop says that he plays golf “badly” with his fellow clergy. He always comes last in the Clergy Golf competitions! He played squash until recently, and previously would go skiing once a year usually to Wengen. In earlier days he played rugby for Windsor and Portsmouth as a prop forward. He now enjoys watching rugby including the local matches in Northampton where, appropriately enough, the Saints have their home.
“I just want to encourage you to open your heart to Our Lord and to grow in grace especially in relationships with others, to see people as a gift, not as a nuisance but a summons to conversion and change.
May the Holy Spirit lead us on a true journey of conversion, so that we can rediscover God speaking to us in his Word, be purified of the sin that binds us, and serve Christ present in our brothers and sisters in need.”