Letters

Faithful Servant

Posted

Re: Obituary of Msgr. Francis V. Boyle (CNY, March 25).

As a graduate of St. Gabriel’s School in Riverdale (Class of 1970), I mourn the passing of our Father Boyle. His positive impact was felt by many of my classmates and all that came to know him during his 10 years (1959-1968) at St. Gabriel’s. Many mornings he greeted us with a warm smile as we entered school, showed up to watch our basketball games and taught us how to properly serve Mass. Incredibly, even though there were 400-plus students he knew each of our names. His Sunday sermons seemed to be written just for us in a manner we could relate to. Father Boyle was and would always be the model of a good priest.

His last few years had to be difficult after being falsely accused of sexual abuse of a minor. Fortunately, as reported in CNY last September, Msgr. Boyle was exonerated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith after a canonical investigation. His good name and priestly faculties were restored. His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, officiated at his funeral. A fitting end for a wonderful man and a loyal and faithful servant of God.

Peter T. McKeever
New Canaan, Conn.