Lent is almost upon us – in fact, Ash Wednesday is in three weeks from tomorrow. One important aspect of our Lenten practice should be spiritual reading. I can think of no better book to read during the holy season of Lent than Professor Alfred O’Rahilly’s biography of Fr Doyle. And the great news is that the publishers have a 20% sale until this coming Friday, so this is a great chance to get the book at a great discount.

This book is a masterpiece on many levels – a psychologically astute review of Fr Doyle’s character, a wonderful history of World War I that reads like a novel and a remarkable overview of Catholic spirituality. Far from being a mere work of hagiography in the mode of the “Golden Legend”, O’Rahilly’s biography of Fr Doyle gives a rounded insight into one of the most incredible priests Ireland has ever produced. If you have an interest in Fr Doyle, if you have an interest in Catholic spirituality, if you have an interest in military history you will love this book. And in loving this book, you will learn to love Fr Doyle.

O’Rahilly’s biography was translated in numerous European languages and has inspired many individuals (including canonised saints…) over the past 90 years.

One of the great things about the biography is the access that O’Rahilly had to Fr Doyle’s private notes and diaries. Fr Doyle wasn’t born great, but he acquired greatness by slow, steady effort. O’Rahilly maps out this process through Fr Doyle’s own intimate thoughts and resolutions. That’s what makes this book so powerful. I do not know of anybody who has read this book without being deeply moved and spiritually enriched.

High quality and newly typeset reprints of the 2nd edition of O’Rahilly can be purchased by clicking on the image below. Later editions have some more detail and are somewhat longer (the 5th edition is about 200 pages longer), but they are not available in reprint format as far as I know and they can only be found in second hand book stores and occasionally online. 

If you order before this coming Friday night you can obtain a significant 20% discount off the price of the book. Just enter the discount code CHERUB305 when ordering to obtain the discount.  

(Please note: This website is not in any way connected with the sale of the book and does not profit in any way by it. My interest is only in promoting awareness of Fr Doyle).