CURRICULUM VITAE
Thomas Patrick Michael Doyle
Thomas Doyle was born August 3, 1944 in Sheboygan WI, the son of Michael Doyle and
Doris Mellenthien. He is the eldest of three children. He attended primary and secondary school
in Ogdensburg NY and Cornwall, Ontario. In August, 1964 he entered the Dominican novitiate
at Winona MN and was given the religious name of Thomas. He pronounced simple vows in
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.
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 1971. 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. He was on active duty until
August, 2004. His 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 and Seymour Johnson AFB, North
Carolina.
While serving in the United States Air Force, he was given the opportunity to receive
training in addictions counseling. He took courses at the University of Oklahoma while
stationed at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City between 1997 and 1999. In 2000 he attended the
Navy School of Health Sciences, Department of Alcohol and Drug Counseling and graduated in
August 2000. In 2001 he was qualified as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor.
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, England, Ireland, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand. These
1

 have included topics in the areas of matrimonial jurisprudence, procedural law, penal law,
religious law, property law and the theology and canonical history of marriage. 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 also been asked to assist entities of the institutional Church. 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. The manual he wrote
in 1985 together with Dr. Michael Peterson and Mr. Ray Mouton was used as an essential
resource by the Canadian Bishops in the creation of their protocol for responding to clergy sex
abuse, “From Pain to Hope,” in 1992. He has also conducted research and has published articles
on the spiritual damage caused by sexual abuse by clerics.
In the capacity as an expert in this area, he has delivered lectures and seminars for clergy
and lay groups in the U.S., Canada, England, Belgium, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, the
Irish Republic, Australia and New Zealand. He has spoken to the State legislatures of
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, California, Delaware, Maryland and the City Council of
the District of Columbia on 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. He has served as a consultant
and expert witness to grand juries in several jurisdictions in the U.S. He has been a consultant to
State and Federal legislative officials concerning changes in the law that would benefit victims of
sexual abuse. He has also served as a consultant or expert witness to the investigative
commissions established in the Republic of Ireland since 2002. He was an expert witness before
the Cornwall Commission in Ontario in 2007. In 2010 he was asked to address the special
commission of the Belgian Parliament investigating clergy sexual abuse. In 2013 he was asked
to submit expert testimony to the Royal Commission of Inquiry in Australia. He has appeared in
numerous documentaries on clergy sexual abuse produced in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, the U.K.,
Germany and France.
In 2013 he was asked by the Capuchin Franciscan Fathers of the Midwest Province in the
United States to take an active role in conducting a complete review of the province’s personnel
files, past and present as well as a review of the manner with which the Capuchin Fathers had
responded to every report of sexual abuse in the province’s history. He and the other two
reviewers completed their work and published an extensive and historic report in 2013. In April
2015 Father Doyle was asked to serve as a consultant to the Pontifical Commission for the
Protection of Children. He accepted the invitation and has taken an active role as a consultant.
In recognition of his advocacy work for the victims of Catholic clergy sexual abuse
Father Doyle received the Cavallo Award for Moral Courage in 1992, the Priest of Integrity
Award from Voice of the Faithful in 2002 and the Isaac Hecker Award from the Paulist Fathers
in 2003. In June of 2003 he was issued an official commendation from the Dominican Fathers
for his “prophetic work in drawing attention to clergy sexual abuse and for advocating the rights
of victims and abusers.” In July 2005 he was awarded the “Community Champion Award” by
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 the Civil Justice Foundation of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. In July 2007
SNAP awarded him the Red Badge of Courage Award. In March 2013 he received the Salem
Award from the Salem Foundation for Social Justice and Human Rights.

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

Diploma:

Navy School of Health Sciences, Drug and Alcohol Counselor, September 2000.

ASSIGNMENTS AND POSITIONS HELD
2003-04

USAF, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina

2001-03

USAF, Ramstein AB, Germany

1997 -01

USAF, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma

1995 -97

USAF, Lajes Field, Azores
3

 1993 -95

USAF, Hurlburt Field, Florida

1990 -93

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
4

 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.
8.

Sex, Priests and Secret Codes. With A.W.R. Sipe and Patrick Wall. Los Angeles. Bonus
Books. 2006.

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.
5

 4,

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

5.

"The Contemporary Challenge to Christian Marriage."
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:
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.

6

The Priest, November and

Additional Considerations."

Studia

 23.

"The Canonical Status of Religious Institutes." Monitor Ecclesiasticus 110(1985), 227245.

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 Jan.
2004.
7

 43.

“Canon Law: Failure from Above,” in Sin Against the Innocents, Thomas Plante, editor,
Greenwood Publishing Group, March 2004.

44.

“Clericalism-Enabler of Clergy Sexual Abuse.” Pastoral Psychology 54(2006). 189-213.

45.

“The Darkest of the Dark Side.” Conscience 28(2007). 34-37.

46.

“Sexual Abuse by Clerics: Historical Awareness of the Problem.” In Tim Leedom and
Maria Murdy, editors, the Book Your Church Doesn’t Want You to Read. 2nd edition. New
York. Cambridge House Press. 2007.

47.

“Clericalism and Catholic Clergy Sexual Abuse.” In Mary Gail Frawley-O’Dea and
Virginia Goldner, editors. Predatory priests, Silenced Victims. Mahwah, NJ. Analytic
Press. 2007.

48.

“Clericalism, Religious Duress and Its Psychological Impact on Victims of Clergy Abuse.”
Pastoral Psychology. 58(2009): 223-238. (With Marianne Benkert, M.D.)

49.

“The Spiritual Trauma experienced by Victims of Sexual Abuse by Catholic Clergy.”
Pastoral Psychology. 58(2009).

50.

"Fundamentalism in the Roman Catholic Legal Tradition." Hamilton, Marci and Rozell,
Mark. Editors. Fundamentalism, Politics And The Law. London. Palgrave MacMillan.
2011.

51.

"Sexual Abuse of the Vulnerable by Catholic Clergy." Les Cahiers de Plaidoyer-Victimes
Antenne sur la Victimologie. 7(Mars 2011). (Montreal, Quebec.)

52.

“Canon Law and an Essential Enabling Factor in Child Abuse.” Holohan, Carole, Editor.
In Plain Sight: Responding to the Ferns, Ryan, Murphy and Cloyne Reports. Dublin.
Amnesty International Ireland. 2011.

53.

“Sexual Abuse by Catholic Clergy: The Spiritual Damage.” Plante, Thomas and
McChesney, Kathleen, Editors. Westport CT. Praeger. 2011.
 The list of publications includes only those which have appeared in scholarly journals. In
addition to the articles listed the author has published numerous others in various news
media, popular journals and magazines and on internet web sites.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland
Canon Law Society of Australia and New Zealand
Canadian Canon Law Society
8

 Societe Internationale de Droit Canonique
Professional Association of Dive Instructors
National Association of Alcohol and Drug Counselors

MILITARY AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
National Defense Medal (2x)
NATO Service Medal
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal (2x)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2x)
Humanitarian Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal (2x)
US Army Achievement Medal
US Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal (3x)
Meritorious Service Medal (3x)
“Most Distinguished Graduate,” US Navy Drug and Alcohol Counselor School

AWARDS
1992:

Cavallo Award for Moral Courage in Government and Business

2002:

“Priest of Integrity Award,” Voice of the Faithful

2003:

Isaac Hecker Award for Achievements in Social Justice

2005:

Community Champion Award, Civil Justice Foundation of the Association of
Trial Lawyer of America.
9

 2007:

Red Badge of Courage Award, SNAP. July 21, 2007

2013:

Salem Award from the Salem Foundation for Social Justice and Human Rights

MISCELLANEOUS
Member, Order of the Desert Legion (US Army)
FAA licensed pilot, multi-engine, commercial and instrument rated, FAA certified
advanced and Instrument ground instructor
P.A.D.I. certified Master Scuba Diver, Divemaster, Rescue Diver
Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (CADAC)

Thomas P. Doyle

May 3, 2016

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