Key facts
- Fr Willie Doyle is being considered for sainthood.
- He died ministering to soldiers of other Christian denominations during WWI.
- He was awarded the Military Cross for bravery at the Battle of the Somme.
- The case for his canonisation is being led by the Fr Willie Doyle Association.
A Catholic priest who served as a chaplain in World War I and died ministering to soldiers is moving closer to sainthood. Fr Willie Doyle, a Dubliner, repeatedly ran into No Man's Land to help injured troops during battles like the Somme, Messines, and Passchendaele. On Sunday, the Catholic Church in Ireland will hold a service in Mullingar Cathedral before sending thousands of documents to the Vatican to support his canonisation. Fr Doyle was killed by shellfire on August 16, 1917, while going to the aid of two wounded soldiers, one of whom was a Protestant officer. The Fr Willie Doyle Association, a lay-led group, is spearheading the campaign for his sainthood, founded by Patrick Kenny, a business school lecturer captivated by the priest's courage.