Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Mgr Peter Doyle, currently the parish priest of Winchester, to be the next Bishop of Northampton.
Mgr Peter was Administrator of St John’s Cathedral in Portsmouth from 1975 – 1987 and after 3 years at St Joseph’s, Maidenhead, has been parish priest of St Peter’s, Winchester since 1991.
He has served the diocese and the parishes to which he has been appointed with enormous dedication and commitment. He has been a superb parish priest and a very trusted colleague for me as one of the Vicars General of the diocese.
I am, of course, absolutely thrilled that his gifts have been recognised and that he has been appointed to Northampton but his departure will leave a huge gap both in Winchester and in the diocese as a whole. We will miss him very much.
I am very happy for the diocese and people of Northampton who have been waiting such a long time for this appointment. They have been given a fine priest to be their new Bishop. Whilst in Portsmouth we rejoice for Northampton, I have to say how very sad we are to lose Mgr Peter. He goes with all our congratulations and with our love and prayers.
His Episcopal ordination will take place in the Cathedral of Our Lady and St Thomas in Northampton at 11.30 am on Tuesday June 28th.
Bishop Crispian Hollis
Bishop of Portsmouth
