Thomas Doyle was born August 3, 1944 in Sheboygan WI, the son of Michael Doyle and Doris Mellenthein. He was baptized Patrick Michael Doyle. He is the eldest of three children. He attended primary and secondary school in Ogdensburg NY and Cornwall, Ontario. Undergraduate studies were at Wadhams Hall College, Ogdensburg NY, and Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa. In August, 1964 he entered the Dominican novitiate at Winona MN and was given the religious name of Thomas. He pronounced simple vows on August 16, 1965 and solemn vows on August 16, 1968.

Graduate studies in philosophy and theology took place at Aquinas Institute of Philosophy, River Forest IL and Aquinas Institute of Theology, Dubuque IA respectively. He pursued graduate studies in Political Science at the University of Wisconsin and graduate studies in Canon Law at the Gregorian University, Rome, Catholic University of America, the University of Ottawa and St. Paul's University, Ottawa. He was ordained a Catholic priest in the Dominican Order on May 16, 1970 in Dubuque, IA. Although he has had only one assignment as a full-time parish priest in civilian parishes, he has consistently worked in parishes on a part-time basis since the time of ordination to the priesthood.

After completing graduate work in theology and several months of clinical pastoral training, he was assigned as an associate pastor in River Forest IL. In 1974 he was appointed an advocate for the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Chicago. In 1978 he was appointed a judge in the same tribunal. In 1981 he was asked to serve as secretary-canonist at the Vatican embassy in Washington D.C., a post which he held until early, 1986. On June 16, 1986 he was commissioned a reserve officer in the U.S. Air Force. His reserve Air Force assignments were at Dover AFB, Dover DE and Andrews AFB, Maryland. Air Force training took place at Lackland AFB, Texas and Maxwell AFB in Alabama. His active duty assignments have been at Grissom AFB, IN, Hurlburt Field, FL, Lajes Field, Azores, Tinker AFB, OK and Ramstein AB, Germany.

He has had extensive teaching experience in Canon law as a visiting lecturer at Catholic University of America and the Chicago Theological Union. He has also been a lecturer at the Matrimonial tribunal Institutes of Catholic University of America and Mundelein Seminary as well as at the Institute for Spirituality in River Forest IL.

As a member of the canon law Society of America he served one term as member of the board of governors and three terms as chairman of the Marriage Research Committee. He was asked by the society to be the author of the section on marriage in the commentary prepared on the revised Code of Canon Law. He was also asked by the Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law of the Holy See to prepare the footnotes on marriage for the annotated edition of the Code of Canon Law.

Fr. Doyle has given lectures and seminars on various aspects of Church Law throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. These have included topics in the areas of matrimonial jurisprudence, procedural law, penal law, religious law, property law as well as the theology of marriage among others. In 1986 he was the featured lecturer at the annual convention of the Canon Law Society of Australia and New Zealand.

In late 1984 he became involved with the issue of sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy while serving at the Vatican Embassy. Since that time he has developed an expertise in the canonical and pastoral dimensions of this problem. He has worked with victims of abuse and their families, priests accused of abuse, bishops and superiors of religious institutes on this issue. He has developed policies and procedures for dealing with cases of sexual abuse by the clergy for dioceses and religious orders in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In the capacity as an expert in this area, he has delivered lectures and seminars for clergy and lay groups throughout the U.S. In 1989 he appeared as an expert witness before the legislature of the State of Pennsylvania concerning that State's child protective legislation. He has also served and continues to serve as a consultant/court expert in cases of alleged sexual abuse by the clergy throughout the United States, Canada, Ireland, Israel and the United Kingdom.

ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS

B.A. Philosophy, Aquinas Institute of Philosophy, River Forest, IL , 1966

M.A. Philosophy, Aquinas Institute of Philosophy, River Forest, IL, 1968
Dissertation: "Organized Religion in Marxist-Leninist Philosophy."

M.A. Political Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1971,
Dissertation: "Vladimir Lenin's Theory of Social Revolution."

M.A. Theology, Aquinas Institute of Theology, Dubuque, Iowa, 1971,Dissertation: "Liberation Theology in the Context of Social Needs in South America."

M. Ch.A. Administration, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., 1976

M.A. Canon Law, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, 1977
Dissertation: "The Canonical and Legal Foundation of the Dominican Order in Canada."

J.C.L. Pontifical Licentiate in Canon Law. St. Paul University, Ottawa, 1977.

J.C.D. Pontifical Doctorate in Canon Law. Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., 1978. Dissertation: "Marital Fidelity in the Canonical Tradition of the Catholic Church."

Diploma: Squadron officers School, Air University, May, 1996

Diploma: United States Navy Drug and Alcohol Counselor School, October, 2000

Diploma: Air Command and Staff College, Air University, July 5, 2002

POSITIONS HELD

2001- Chaplain, USAF, Ramstein AB, Germany

1997 -01 Chaplain, USAF, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma

1995 -97 Chaplain, USAF, Lajes Field, Azores

1993 -95 Chaplain, USAF, Hurlburt Field, Florida

1990 -93 Chaplain, USAF, Grissom AFB, Indiana

1991-93 Tribunal Judge, Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana

1993-95 Tribunal Judge, Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee and Archdiocese for the Military Services, U.S.A.

1986-90 Tribunal Judge and Special Assistant to the Archbishop, Archdiocese for the Military Services, U.S.A.

1986-90 Tribunal Judge, Diocese of Scranton, PA.

1981-86 Secretary-Canonist, Vatican Embassy, Washington, D.C.

1981-86 Visiting Lecturer in Canon Law, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

1979-86 Faculty Member, Midwest tribunal Institute, Mundelein Seminary, Mundelein, IL.

1978-86 Faculty Member, Tribunal Institute of the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

1979-81 Visiting Lecturer in Canon Law, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago IL.
1978-81 Tribunal Judge, Archdiocese of Chicago, IL.

1974-78 Advocate and Defender of the Bond, Tribunal, Archdiocese of Chicago, IL.

1978-85 Faculty member, Institute of Spirituality, River Forest IL

1971-74 Associate Pastor, St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, River Forest IL.

1970-71 Graduate Student , Aquinas Institute of Theology, Dubuque, Iowa.

1966-70 Theological studies, Aquinas Institute of Theology

OTHER POSITIONS HELD

1983-85 Consultant to the Canonical Affairs Committee of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops

1978-81 Member, Board of Governors, Canon Law Society of America

1979-86 Chairman, Marriage research Committee, Canon law Society of America

1979-86 Editor, Marriage Studies, Washington D.C.

1982-88 Weekly columnist, Arlington Catholic Herald

1988-90 Consultant to the Canonical Affairs Committee of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops

1986 Director of the Institute of Spirituality, River Forest, IL

1971 Clinical Pastoral Training, Minnesota State Prison

PUBLICATIONS: BOOKS

1. Comrades in Revolution. Dayton: Pflaum Press, 1969.

2. The Understanding of the "Bonum Fidei" in the Church's Canonical Tradition. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America, 1978.

3. Rights and Responsibilities in the Church. New York: Pueblo Press, 1983.

4. The Homilist's Guide to Scripture, Theology and Canon Law. (With John Burke, O.P.), New York: Pueblo Press, 1987.

5. The Code of Canon Law: A Commentary. Leesburg VA: Catholic Home Study Institute, 1988.

6. Christian Marriage. Leesburg VA: Catholic Home Study Institute, 1989.

7. Meeting the Problem of Sexual Abuse Among the Clergy in a Responsible Way. (With Michael Peterson, M.D. and F. Ray Mouton, J.D.), Suitland MD: St. Luke Institute, 1985.

PUBLICATIONS: ARTICLES

1. "A New Look at the 'Bonum Fidei'," Studia Canonica 12(1978), 6-40.

2. "The Individual's Right to marry in the Context of the Common Good." Studia Canonica 13(1979), 245-302.
3. "Marital Breakdown: The Experience of the Tribunal." The Priest, September 1981.

4, "The Obligation of the Divine Office." The Priest, February, 1980.

5. "The Contemporary Challenge to Christian Marriage." The Priest, November and December, 1981.

6. "Why Some Catholics Get Divorced." U.S. Catholic, August, 1980.

7. "The Effects of Marital Disintegration on Children." The Priest, June, 1981.

8. "The Relationship of Canon law to the Catholic Family." The Priest, February, 1983.

9. "Sacramental Theology: Where We Are Today." The Priest, November, 1983.

10. "The Sacraments in the New Code." The Priest, November and December, 1984.

11. "The Contemporary Challenge to the Christian Family." The Exchange, Winter, 1980.

12. "The Internal Forum Solution." Phoenix, Summer, 1982.

13. "The Roman Catholic Church and Mixed Marriages." Ecumenical Trends, June, 1985.

14. "The Moral Inseparability of the Unitive and Procreative Aspects of Human Sexual Intercourse." Monitor Ecclesiasticus, 109(1984), 447-469.

15. "The Canonical Status of Religious Institutes: Additional Considerations." Studia Canonica 18(1984), 347-364.

16. "The Church and Marital Breakdown." Listening 15(1980), 54-64.

17. "The Canonical Foundations for Pre-Marital Preparation." Marriage Studies, Vol. 1, Washington D.C.: Canon law Society of America, 1980, 65-77.

18. "Select Bibliography on the Sacrament of Marriage." Marriage Studies, Vol. 1, Washington D.C.: Canon law Society of America, 1980, 78-101.

19. "The Competent Forum, Matrimonial Trials and Norm 7 of the American procedural Norms," Marriage Studies, Vol. 1, Washington D.C., Canon Law Society of America, 1980, 102-143.

20. "Matrimonial Jurisprudence in the United States." Marriage Studies, Vol. 2, Washington D.C.: Canon law Society of America, 1982, 111-158.

21. "The Moral Inseparability of the Unitive and procreative Aspects of Sexual Intercourse in the Thought of Pope John Paul II." Marriage Studies, Vol. 3, Washington, D.C.: Canon Law Society of America, 1985.

22. "The Catholic Church and Marital Breakdown." The New Catholic World, February, 1986.

23. "The Canonical Status of Religious Institutes." Monitor Ecclesiasticus 110(1985), 227-245.

24. "The Theology of Marriage." Studia Canonica, 20(1986).

25. "More on the Canonical Status of Religious Institutes." Angelicum, 1987.

26. "The Dignity of the Human Person in the Thought of John Paul II." Social Thought, 1987.

27. "The Clergy in Court: Clergy Malpractice." The Priest, January and February, 1987.

28. "Faith and the Sacrament of Marriage." Proceedings of the Australian Canon law Society, 1987.

29. "Marriage." in The Code of Canon law: A Text and Commentary. New York: Paulist Press, 1985. P. 737-834.
30. "Ministry to the Military: Valid or Not." The Priest, June, 1987.

31. "Military Marriages: Some Special problems." Studia Canonica 21(1987).

32. "Military Marriages." Military Chaplain's Review, Spring, 1988.

33. "The Christian Vocation of Marriage." Handbook on Critical Sexual Issues. St. Louis: Pope John XXIII Center. 1983.

34. "The Clergy in Court: recent Developments." The Priest, July and August, 1990.

35. "Canon Law." 336 entries on Canon Law topics in The Concise Catholic Encyclopedia, Huntington IN: Our Sunday Visitor Press, 1990.

36. "The Rights of Priests Accused of Sexual Misconduct." Studia Canonica 24(1990).

37. "Canon Law." 274 entries in The Concise Catholic Dictionary, Huntington IN: Our Sunday Visitor Press, 1993.

38. "Healing the Pain." The Blue Book. Annual Proceedings of the National Catholic Council on Alcohol and Drug Related Problems, 1994.

39. “Privileged Communications in the Military.” Hurlburt Field, FL, Chaplain Resource Board.

40. “Privileged Communications and Military Chaplains.” USAF Chaplain Resource Board

41. “Roman Catholic Clericalism, Religious Duress and Clergy Sexual Abuse.” Pastoral Psychology, 51(2003).

42. “Catholic Clergy Sexual Abuse Meets the Civil Law.” Fordham Urban Law Journal Mar 2003

43. “Abrogation of trust in the Catholic Church,” Association of Humanistic Psychology Journal Dec 2002/January 2003.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Canon law Society of Great Britain and Ireland

Canon law Society of Australia and New Zealand

Canadian Canon law Society

Societe Internationale de Droit Canonique

National Rifle Association

Titanic Historical Society

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

Warbirds of America

Experimental Aircraft Association

Phi Alpha delta law Fraternity

Professional Association of Dive Instructors

MILITARY AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

National Defense Medal (2x)

NATO Service Medal

Kosovo Campaign Medal

Armed Forces Service Medal

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2x)

Humanitarian Service Medal

Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal

Air Force Achievement Medal

US Army Achievement Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal (3x)

Meritorious Service Medal (2x)

“Most Distinguished Graduate,” US Navy Drug and Alcohol Counselor School

MISCELLANEOUS

Winner of the 1992 Cavallo Award for Moral Courage in Government and Business

Major, United States Air Force, Active Duty

Member, Order of the Desert Legion (US Army)

FAA licensed pilot, multi-engine, commercial and instrument rated

P.A.D.I. certified Master Scuba Diver, Divemaster, Rescue Diver

“Priest of Integrity Award” from Voice of the Faithful, July, 2002

“Isaac Hecker Award” for contributions to Justice, Jan. 2003