Irish Jesuit Fr. Francis “Frank” G. Doyle died peacefully in Manila on St Patrick’s Day, 17th March 2011, after a short illness following a severe stroke in February.
Fr Frank was born in Dublin in 1931, joined the Society in 1949, and was ordained as a priest at Wah Yan College in Kowloon, Hong Kong in 1963. He spent many years in Hong Kong, and also in Malaysia and Singapore before returning to Ireland.
Although semi-retired, Fr. Frank readily moved from Ireland to the Philippines, when asked in his 79th year to do so. He was to spend only 10 months as a spiritual director to the 50 scholastics at Arrupe International Residence before his passing. However in that short time, Fr Frank was noted for his capacity to make friends, his pastoral availability and his large output of writing. He continued to write a book and the Living Space commentaries on the daily readings, a part of the Sacred Space prayer website run by the Irish Jesuits. He was also a regular contributor to three Catholic publications in Malaysia – Catholic Asian News, Shalom and Herald, of which he had once been the editor.
His requiem took place in Saint Ignatius Oratory, Loyola House of Studies, Manila on 22nd March. Fr Frank is buried in the Jesuit cemetery of the Sacred Heart Novitiate in Quezon City.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh sé. May he be on God’s righthand side.
A 9-minute video of Fr. Frank’s wake and funeral can be viewed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RACfI78qUXg
Photos of his wake and funeral album area available at:
https://picasaweb.google.com/thiridaw/FrankDoyleSJ?feat=directlink
Read or download the homily delivered by Fr Mark Raper at the Mass: