Father Willie Doyle, with Patrick Kenny

This conversation between Heather A. Warfield and Patrick Kenny explores the life and legacy of Father Willie Doyle, a Jesuit chaplain during World War I who is remembered for his self-sacrifice and deep spirituality. Kenny, who is President of the Father Willie Doyle Association, discusses Doyle's early life, his motivations for becoming a chaplain, and the impact of his death on those who knew him. The conversation also delves into the canonization process and the growing interest in pilgrimage sites related to Father Doyle, highlighting his relevance in contemporary discussions around mental health and spirituality.Psychology of Pilgrimage host, Dr. Heather A. Warfield, is a researcher, professor, and specialist of pilgrimage studies, with research focused on the psychology of pilgrimages. She is the series editor of Pilgrimage Studies (Peter Lang), co-editor of Pilgrimages to the Western Front of World War I: Historical Exemplars & Contemporary Practices, and editor of Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Pilgrimage: Historical, Current and Future Directions. In addition to academic publications, she has written articles about contemporary battlefield pilgrimages for US military publications and serves as a battlefield pilgrimage expert for military staff rides and other related educational programs.Dr Patrick Kenny is the President of the Father Willie Doyle Association, which is the official sponsor of the canonisation cause of the WW1 military chaplain Fr Willie Doyle. He is the editor of the book "To Raise the Fallen: s selection of the war letters, prayers and spiritual writings of Fr Willie Doyle SJ" (Ignatius Press, 2018) and the co-editor of "The Rock From Which You Were Hewn: The lives and legacies of holy Irish men and women" (Ignatius Press, 2024).