3rd. September, 2005.
Bishop Peter celebrates Mass at
Holy Family Church.
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
stan
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.
rita

The medal was instituted by
Pope Gregory XVI .
It is a gold medal worn on a
ribbon of white and gold,
the papal colours.

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.

There was a final small presentation made to the Bishop at the end of Mass
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),
 

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. 
     

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.