To Raise the Fallen - Fr Willie Doyle, SJ
by Patrick Kenny (Editor)
Irish military chaplain Fr. Willie Doyle, S.J., died in action during the Battle of Passchendaele on August 16, 1917, having been hit by a German shell while rushing to the aid of wounded soldiers trapped in No Man's Land. In To Raise the Fallen, Patrick Kenny introduces readers to this remarkable man, whose faith, heroic courage and generosity in the trenches of World War I continue to inspire Christians and non-Christians alike.
To Raise the Fallen includes a selection of Willie Doyle's rich and vivid letters from the front, along with diary entries, prayers, spiritual writings and extracts from the pamphlets that made him a publishing sensation across Europe in the early years of the twentieth century. Fr. Doyle's compassion, cheerfulness and humility, alongside his great valor in wartime, are a testament to his commitment to Christ. His final act of bravery epitomizes Christ's words that there "is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends".
Those who knew Fr. Doyle testified to his heroic virtue. They witnessed his fearlessness in the face of enemy fire as he rescued the wounded, anointed the dying and buried the dead. His letters home reveal both his deep faith and his great humor, even in the face of unspeakable horrors. His daily conquest of himself in little things over many years prepared him for his selfless service on the battlefield.
"Ireland was once a land of Catholic heroes. If the Emerald Isle is going to escape the secular morass into which it's sunk -- if Ireland is going to be, again, a nation of saints witnesses to the faith who embody Catholicism's capacity to summon forth courage and compassion are urgently needed. Those virtues were vibrantly alive in Father Willie Doyle, S.J.. His story, and his witness, should be part of any genuine revival of Irish Catholicism."
-- George Weigel, Author, The Fragility of Order
"In the context of a nationalistic war that placed nation ahead of God, Church, or the dignity of unique individuals, Fr. Willie Doyle, S.J. restored the proper order. His love of Jesus Christ fired his courage to bring the needed sacraments to anyone in need. The men knew he cared for each of them, and he risked his life for any of them. An impersonal bomb was the way this good shepherd laid down his life for the sheep. Anyone who reads his story of love for God's sake will be made a better person by the experience."
-- Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J., TV Host, EWTN Live
| Description | To Raise the Fallen: The War Letters, Prayers, and Spiritual Writings of Fr. Willie Doyle by Patrick Kenny (Editor) Irish military chaplain Fr. Willie Doyle, S.J., died in action during the Battle of Passchendaele on August 16, 1917, having been hit by a German shell while rushing to the aid of wounded soldiers trapped in No Man's Land. In To Raise the Fallen, Patrick Kenny introduces readers to this remarkable man, whose faith, heroic courage and generosity in the trenches of World War I continue to inspire Christians and non-Christians alike. To Raise the Fallen includes a selection of Willie Doyle's rich and vivid letters from the front, along with diary entries, prayers, spiritual writings and extracts from the pamphlets that made him a publishing sensation across Europe in the early years of the twentieth century. Fr. Doyle's compassion, cheerfulness and humility, alongside his great valor in wartime, are a testament to his commitment to Christ. His final act of bravery epitomizes Christ's words that there "is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends". Those who knew Fr. Doyle testified to his heroic virtue. They witnessed his fearlessness in the face of enemy fire as he rescued the wounded, anointed the dying and buried the dead. His letters home reveal both his deep faith and his great humor, even in the face of unspeakable horrors. His daily conquest of himself in little things over many years prepared him for his selfless service on the battlefield. "Ireland was once a land of Catholic heroes. If the Emerald Isle is going to escape the secular morass into which it's sunk -- if Ireland is going to be, again, a nation of saints witnesses to the faith who embody Catholicism's capacity to summon forth courage and compassion are urgently needed. Those virtues were vibrantly alive in Father Willie Doyle, S.J.. His story, and his witness, should be part of any genuine revival of Irish Catholicism." "In the context of a nationalistic war that placed nation ahead of God, Church, or the dignity of unique individuals, Fr. Willie Doyle, S.J. restored the proper order. His love of Jesus Christ fired his courage to bring the needed sacraments to anyone in need. The men knew he cared for each of them, and he risked his life for any of them. An impersonal bomb was the way this good shepherd laid down his life for the sheep. Anyone who reads his story of love for God's sake will be made a better person by the experience." |
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