A Year's Thoughts: Collected from the Writings of William Doyle: 365 Daily Devotionals of Christian Advice for Life and Spiritual Well-being

By William Joseph Gabriel Doyle

Celebrated priest Father William Doyle was famous for the depth of his spiritual insight, and his ability to confer good advice – this book contains 365 extracts, one for every day of the year.

The many and varied topics within this collection range from short, poignant and proverbial sayings – “a sharp tongue is the only tool that grows sharper with use” – to all manner of sound spiritual counsel. Grounded in Biblical wisdom and the extensive experiences of the author, we find passages on overcoming adversity, observing the influence of God in daily life, and cultivating the virtues that all good Christians should carry through life and confer upon others.

Yearly events and festivals such as Easter and Christmas receive commentary, with particular attention given to the life and deeds of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are frequently reminded of the Son of God’s hardships and virtues, and shown how to take these as examples for good Christian behavior. While serious of purpose, William Doyle imbues his advices with liveliness and wit; the author’s kindness and lack of severity is in the fullest evidence.

Tragically, William Doyle perished in 1917 at the age of forty-four while serving as a chaplain in the British Army during World War One. His wisdom however lived on, and is graciously enjoyed by many believers to this day.-Print ed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Braunfell Books
• Release date: Nov 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781839749568

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Publisher’s Note

Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

PREFACE 17

A YEAR’S THOUGHTS COLLECTED FROM THE WRITINGS OF FATHER WILLIAM DOYLE, S.J. 18

JANUARY. 18

1. 18

2.—A Generous Year. 18

3.—Win Your Crown. 18

4. 18

5.—Christlikeness. 18

6.—The Flight into Egypt. 19

7.—Methodical Mortification. 19

8.—Quiet Prayer. 19

9.—Hard Work. 19

10.—God’s Children. 19

11. 20

12.—Our Attitude towards our Work. 20

13.—The Use of Imperfections. 20

14. 20

15.—Union and Abandonment. 21

16. 21

17.—Slow but Sure. 21

18.—Worries. 21

19. 21

20.—The Hidden Life. 22

21. 22

22. 22

23. 22

24. 22

25. 22

26.—Count—if it helps you. 22

To another Correspondent. 23

27. 23

28. 23

29. 23

30. 23

31.—A Look Back. 23

FEBRUARY 24

1. 24

2.—Ordinary Actions. 24

3.—Nerves. 24

4.—Favourite Aspirations of Fr. Doyle. 25

5.—A Martyr’s Life 25

6.—Prayer and Reading. 25

7.—Little Things. 25

8. 26

9. 26

10.—Desolation. 26

11. 26

12. 26

13.—Desire to be a Saint. 26

14. 27

15. 27

16. 27

17.—Reparation. 27

18.—Purgatory. 27

19. 28

20. 28

21.—Confession. 28

22. 28

23. 28

24. 28

25. 29

26. 29

27.—Kiss His Hand. 29

28.—Falls. 29

MARCH. 30

1.—How to keep Union with God. 30

2.—Progress. 30

3. 30

4.—Passio Christi. 30

5. 31

6. 31

7.—Jesus at the Pillar. 31

8.—Dilexit me. 31

9. 31

10.—My Crucifix. 31

11.—The Crown of Thorns. 32

12. 32

13.—"Come down from the Cross." 32

14. 32

15.—Via Crucis. 33

16.—Amoris Victima. 33

17.—Act of Immolation. 34

18.—First Station. 34

19.—Second Station. 35

20.—Third Station. 35

21.—Fourth Station. 35

22.—Fifth Station. 35

23.—Sixth Station. 36

24.—Seventh Station. 36

25.—Eighth Station. 36

26.—Ninth Station. 36

27.—Tenth Station. 37

28.—Eleventh Station. 37

29.—Twelfth Station. 37

30.—Thirteenth Station. 37

31.—Fourteenth Station. 38

APRIL 39

1.—"What must I do to become a Saint?" 39

2. 39

3. 39

4. 39

5.—Little Slips. 39

6. 40

7. 40

8.—Grace. 40

9. 41

10. 41

11.—Dryness. 41

12. 41

13. 41

14.—Expect Falls. 41

15. 42

16. 42

17. 42

18. 42

19.—"Holy Follies" not asked from us. 43

20.—Devotion to the Holy Ghost. 43

21. 43

22. 43

23. 43

24.—Patience with Oneself. 43

25.—"Ginger-Beer" Fervour. 44

26. 44

27. 44

28.—A Loving Crucifixion. 44

29. 45

30. 45

MAY. 46

1.—Interior Union. 46

2.—Mother of Mercy. 46

3.—The Heroism of the Humdrum. 46

4.—The Narrow Path. 46

5.—God’s Presence. 47

6.—Self-Conquest. 47

7. 47

8.—The Path of Dryness. 47

9. 47

10.—God in our Heart. 48

11.—"Sink into God" 48

12.—Give All. 48

13.—That Feeling of "Being Crushed" 48

14. 49

15. 49

16.—No Selfish Moping. 49

17.—A Visit to the Blessed Sacrament. 49

18.—Joy of Spirit. 49

19.—God’s Loving Refusals. 50

20.—Ordinary Duties. 50

21. 50

22.—One Thing Wanting. 50

23. 50

24. 50

25.—Weariness in Penance. 51

26. 51

27.—Never Mind Feelings. 51

28.—Illness. 51

29. 51

30. 52

31.—We do not Pray Enough. 52

JUNE 53

1.—A Transport of Love. 53

2.—Wanted: A Chosen Band. 53

3.—"Communia non Communiter." 54

4.—The First Step. 54

5. 54

6. 54

7.—Dry Adoration. 54

8.—The Hound of Heaven. 54

9. 55

10.—The Love of Jesus. 55

11. 55

12.—The Third Degree of Humility. 55

13.—The Moment of Benediction. 56

14.—Following My Leader. 56

15. 56

16.—Human Respect. 56

17.—Generosity. 56

18.—All for Jesus. 57

19.—Immolation. 57

20.—Love, Prayer, Sacrifice. 57

21.—God’s Hand. 58

22.—Worrying about Faults. 58

23. 58

24. 59

25. 59

26.—"Let Him Act." 59

27. 59

28. 59

29.—Christ’s Mercy. 60

30. 60

JULY. 61

1—The Devil’s "Pet Walking-Stick." 61

2.—Past Confessions. 61

3.—An Act of the Love of God. 61

4.—The Power of an Act of Love. 62

5.—Abandonment. 62

6.—Peace the Measure of Mortification. 62

7.—"Ammunition" for the Missions. 63

8.—Suffer Willingly. 63

9. 63

10.—Love of Jesus. 63

11.—Holiness is not in a Vocabulary. 63

12.—The Secret Apostolate. 63

13.—Another Day is gone. 64

14.—How to acquire close Union. 64

15.—Inner Peace and Union. 64

16.—God works through us. 64

17. 65

18. 65

19.—No Cowardice. 65

20.—So few really generous Souls. 65

21. 66

22.—S. Mary Magdalen. 66

23.—Advice on Penance. 66

24.—A Heart-Hermitage. 66

25.—S. James. 66

26.—Confession. 67

27.—A Vocation. 67

28.—Begin Again. 67

29. 68

30. 68

31. 68

AUGUST. 69

1.—Four Dangers to be Feared after a Retreat. 69

2.—Broken Resolutions. 69

3.—Keep your Will Firm. 69

4.—Desires. 69

5. 70

6.—Childlikeness. 70

7.—Familiar Love. 70

8.—Pain is the Price of Love. 70

9.—God’s Instruments. 70

10.—What we give is not lost. 71

11. 71

12. 71

13.—Much without being Singular. 71

14.—Like Wax in His Hands. 72

15. 72

16. 72

17.—Holiness is within our reach. 72

18.—Time. 72

19.—Getting Good out of our Faults. 73

20.—Love the Hard Thing. 73

21.—Keep Smiling. 73

22.—Without Reserve. 73

23. 74

24. 74

25. 74

26.—Tiny Things. 74

27.—The Helping Hand. 75

28.—Humility is always safe. 75

29.—Going against Ourselves. 75

30. 75

31. 75

SEPTEMBER 76

1.—Reasons why our Communions and Masses do not make us Saints. 76

2.—Two Patron Saints. 76

3. 76

4.—The Big Penance. 76

5.—Indifference. 77

6.—Venial Sin. 77

7. 77

8. 77

9.—S. Peter Claver. 78

10.—Ordinary Daily Actions. 78

11.—Zeal for Souls. 78

12. 78

13.—The Object of Life. 79

15.—The Happiness of Religious Life. 79

16.—Keep at it. 79

17.—Danger of Overwork. 80

18.—God’s Presence. 80

19.—The Fault of Overminding One’s Faults. 80

20.—Devotion to the Holy Ghost. 81

21.—Wholehearted Love. 81

22.—All from God. 81

23.—Daily Self-Conquest. 82

24. 82

25. 82

26. 82

27. 82

28. 82

29.—Be "Put Out" by Nothing. 83

30.—A Birthday Letter. 83

OCTOBER. 84

1.—The Rosary. 84

2.—Some Resolutions of Ft. Doyle (2nd Feb., 1909). 84

3.—Our Angel Guardian. 84

4.—God’s Chisel. 85

5.—"I am no Saint." 85

6.—Christ’s Visit to the Soul. 85

7. 86

8. 86

9.—Prayer for Sinners. 86

10.—Do not Rush. 86

11. 86

12. 87

13. 87

14. 87

15.—S. Teresa. 87

16. 87

17.—The Office. 87

18.—Time for Recollection. 88

19.—How to Conquer Worries. 88

20.—Loving Trust. 88

21. 88

22. 88

23.—Nothing is Too Small. 89

24.—The Last Judgement. 89

25.—Fr. Doyle’s Offering of Himself. (25th Oct. 1907). 89

26.—Flesh versus Spirit. 90

27. 90

28. 90

29. 90

30.—A Lay-Brother Saint. 91

31.—S. Peter’s Fall. 91

NOVEMBER. 92

1.—The Heroism of the Saints. 92

2.—The Souls in Purgatory. 92

3. 92

4.—Failures. 92

5.—The Saints of the Society. 92

6.—To Acquire Interior Union. 93

7.—Bit by Bit. 93

8.—Repugnances. 93

9.—His Voice. 93

10. 94

11.—Death. 94

12.—"Just this Once" 94

13.—Hell. 94

14.—Prayer. 95

15.—The Barren Fig-Tree. 95

16.—The Struggle for Perfection. 95

17.—The Great Audit. 95

18. 96

19.—"Set your teeth and hold on" 96

20. 96

21.—Bugbears. 96

22.—Christ’s Prayer. 96

23.—Love for Christ. 97

24.—The Morning of Life. 97

25.—Practical Holiness. 97

26.—Conquer Yourself. 97

27.—Walk before you run. 97

28. 98

29.—Union is Will-Blending. 98

30.—Hunt the "little foxes." 98

DECEMBER. 99

1.—A Common Religious Malady. 99

2.—Some Resolutions of Father Doyle (Feast of S. Stanislaus, 1907.) 99

3.—S. Francis Xavier. 99

4.—The Incarnation. 99

5.—God in Everything. 100

6.—Give God His time. 100

7.—Interior Penance. 100

8.—Mary’s Sinlessness. 100

9. 101

10.—Refuse Him Nothing. 101

11. 101

12.—Abandonment. 101

13.—Do not be uneasy. 101

14.—Childlike Trust. 102

15.—Want of Will. 102

16.—The Gift of Time. 102

17.—A "Football." 102

18. 102

19.—Graces Lost by Missing One Communion. 103

20. 103

21. 103

22.—Definite Practical Resolutions. 104

23.—The Prayer of Christ. 104

25.—The Nativity. 104

26.—The Worldly Spirit. 105

27.—One Victory out of ten Opportunities. 105

28. 105

29. 105

30. 105

31.—Avoid Worry. 106

A YEAR’S THOUGHTS

COLLECTED FROM THE WRITINGS

OF

FATHER WILLIAM DOYLE, S.J.

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Nihil Obstat:

IOANNES CAN. WATERS,

Censor Theol. Dep.

Imprímatur:

DANIEL COHALAN,

Episcopus Corcagiensis.

Corcagiae,

The 8 Nov., 1922.

PREFACE

In deference to the request of numerous readers of the life of Father William Doyle, S.J.,{1} this little book of extracts has been compiled from his letters, diaries and retreat notes. It has seemed most helpful to arrange them as a series of daily thoughts. A short title has been placed before most of the extracts. Also a brief index, which is not meant to be pedantically complete, has been added.

It is, of course, to be understood that spiritual advice and resolutions are no more indiscriminately transferable than are medical prescriptions. Each reader must decide for himself how far the maxims here printed are applicable to his own case. Only those quotations which were considered to be of somewhat general utility have been selected for publication.

A. O’R.

A YEAR’S THOUGHTS COLLECTED FROM THE WRITINGS OF FATHER WILLIAM DOYLE, S.J.

JANUARY.

1.

A Happy New Year! How many souls there are in want of real happiness! Poor deluded souls seeking their joys and contentment in the mocking pleasures of this world; poor sinful souls flinging themselves deeper into the mire of sin, vainly searching amid unbridled passion and unrestrained lust for the precious jewel of happiness.

A New Year! What visions of almost boundless good, hidden in the fair bosom of the new-born year, rise up before me. What treasures of grace, what innumerable opportunities of merit are within my grasp if only I seize them.

2.—A Generous Year.

He seems to me to want a year of great devotedness, intense sympathy and passionate love from us both. Even one year of such a life would help a little, would help much to heal the wounds so many and so deep in His tender Heart. We must love Him and make Him loved more and more. He seems chiefly to ask complete abandonment to His pleasure, not lifting a finger to hinder His holy Will, but letting Him do with us exactly as He pleases.

3.—Win Your Crown.

You say that you are convinced that God intends you to be a great saint and that you wish it ardently. He certainly has great graces prepared for you. But you must win your crown, my dear child, and draw down the eyes of His tender love by your generous persevering efforts. You have a long way to go yet. The ladder of perfection is reached but not mounted; and there is just a danger of sitting contentedly at the foot, measuring the distance to be climbed later on and thus putting off the day of sacrifice which Jesus asks. His Heart is opened to receive you; He points to it as your home and resting place; but the crown of thorns like a thick hedge bars the way. Are you afraid of pressing against those thorns which will wound and tear you as you force your way through? Have courage. The love of Jesus will sweeten it all, and His strong right arm will support you if you are brave.

4.

Recognise God’s graces to you, and instead of thinking of yourself and your faults, try to do all you can for God, and love Him more.

5.—Christlikeness.

Each fresh meditation on the life of our Lord impresses on me more and more the necessity of conforming my life to His in every detail, if I wish to please Him and become holy. To do something great and heroic may never come, but I can make my life heroic by faithfully and daily putting my best effort into each duty as it comes round. It seems to me I have failed to keep my resolutions because I have not acted from the motive of the love of God. Mortification, prayer, hard work, become sweet when done for the love of Jesus.

6.—The Flight into Egypt.

Great as was the poverty of Jesus in the cave at Bethlehem, it was nothing compared to His destitution during the Flight into Egypt. Again this was voluntary and chosen and borne propter me.

I contrast the obedience of St. Joseph with my obedience. His so prompt, unquestioning, uncomplaining, perfect; mine given so grudgingly; perhaps exterior without interior conformity with the will of the Superior. I realise my faults in this matter, and for the future will try to practise the most perfect obedience, even and especially in little things. An obedient man shall speak of victory. (Proverbs 21, 28.)

7.—Methodical Mortification.

I think it better not to