Archbishop Adrian L. Doyle AM DD
Biography
Adrian Leo Doyle was born in Hobart on 16 November 1936, the son of Gertrude (nee O'Donnell) and Leo Doyle.
His early education was at St Mary's College, Hobart and Sacred Heart College, New Town. In 1947 he enrolled as a Grade Five student at St Virgil's College, Hobart and remained at the College until his Matriculation year in 1954.
Adrian Doyle began his studies for the priesthood on March 1, 1955, at Corpus Christi College, Werribee in Victoria, before transferring to Collegio Propaganda Fide, Rome, in September 1956.
He was ordained a priest on December 20, 1961, in Rome, by Cardinal Gregory Peter Agagianian, with the then Fr Eric D'Arcy as his chaplain.
Between 1962 and 1965 Fr Doyle undertook post-graduate studies at St Peter’s College in Rome and completed a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Gregorian University, Rome, in June 1965. He returned to Tasmania later that year. After his return to the Archdiocese of Hobart, his appointments included responsibility for the Marriage Tribunal 1966-98; Judge on the Appeal Tribunal; President of the Canon Law Society of Australia and New Zealand, 1991-94; Assistant Priest at Invermay, Bellerive and St Mary's Cathedral; and Parish Priest, at Sandy Bay-Taroona, 1974-1990.
Fr Doyle was chaplain to the Italian community in Hobart for 25 years from 1973.
He was the Director of Renew, 1990-92; Dean of the Southern Region, 1982-1989; Chancellor of the Archdiocese, 1988-1996; Vicar General, 1996-98.
On 6 February 1998 Fr Adrian Doyle was ordained a Bishop to become Coadjutor Archbishop of Hobart.
He became Archbishop of Hobart on 26 July 1999 when Pope John Paul II accepted the resignation of Archbishop Eric D'Arcy. He was installed as the 10th Archbishop of Hobart on 26 August 1999 in St Mary's Cathedral, Hobart.
In addition to his Episcopal responsibilities within the Archdiocese of Hobart, Archbishop Doyle also fulfils a number of key roles as a member of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC).
In 2001, Archbishop Doyle was recognised for his contribution to the Tasmanian community with the awarding of the Centenary Medal.
In 2006 he was re-elected as a member of the Permanent Committee of the ACBC (formerly known as the Central Commission of the ACBC) and as Chairman of the Bishop’s Commission for Caritas.
In previous years Archbishop Doyle has been Chairman of the ACBC Bishops Committee for Social Welfare, Chairman of the National Committee of Caritas Australia and Chairman of the Board of Management, Pastoral Research Projects of the ACBC.
In 2005 he was one of two representatives of the ACBC at the Synod of Bishops held in Rome. Archbishop Doyle has also represented the ACBC at regional gatherings of Bishops in South Korea and Fiji.
Along with the Bishops of the Province of Melbourne, Archbishop Doyle is a Trustee of Corpus Christi College, the Seminary for Victoria and Tasmania,.
As Archbishop of Hobart, he also has led delegations of young Tasmanians attending World Youth Day celebrations in Toronto, Cologne and more recently to Sydney in 2008.
His many years of service to the Catholic and the broader Tasmanian community was recognised in the Australia Day Honours with the admission of Archbishop Doyle as a Member of the Order of Australia.
Also in 2009, Archbishop Doyle became the Chairman of the Bishop’s Commission for Justice and Development (Catholic Earthcare Australia) under the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
