Death of Most Rev. W. Emmett Doyle

Monday, September 15 2003

(CCCB – Ottawa) – Most Reverend W. Emmett Doyle, Bishop emeritus of Nelson, died September 14, 2003 in Kelowna, B.C., at 90 years of age.

Born in Calgary, Bishop Doyle was ordained a priest in Edmonton on June 5, 1938. He was named Bishop of Nelson on October 9, 1958 and retired on February 6, 1990.

His funeral will be at Immaculate Conception Church, 839 Sutherland Ave., Kelowna, B.C., at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, September 18, 2003, with interment at the Mary Immaculate Cathedral, 813 Ward St., Nelson, at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, September 19, 2003.

As a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), Bishop Doyle played an key role when, in 1966, the Conference decided to proceed with a new catechetical program in English and French entitled Viens vers le Père and Come to the Father. During this time of catechetical transition, Bishop Doyle served as National Canadian Director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (1962-1986), President of the then Office for Religious Education (1966-1970), National Director of the National Office of Religious Education (1966-1967), and Chairman of the Episcopal Commission for Religious Education (1966-1969).