Born in Creggan, Ballybofey Co.Donegal.Ordained December 1949. Prefect of the Vatican Library,Rome 1984-1997.Died in Salvator Mundi International Hospital,Rome.∼Father Leonard Eugene Boyle was an Irish - Canadian scholar in medieval studies and palaeography and was the first Irish and North American Prefect of the Vatican Library in Rome from 1984 till 1997.
Born in Ballintra, County Donegal, Ireland, Boyle spent some years in Tralee following the death of his older brother John in 1940. The latter was a member of the police and drowned while on holiday in Ballybunion, Co. Kerry.
Educated in Gaelic, he entered the Dominican Order in 1943, and was ordained to the Priesthood in 1949, having received his Doctorate in Oxford. He frequently visited Tralee, where a number of his family still resided, and was involved in many projects in the town. His immense knowledge and expertise in historical and archaeological issues was freely given in order to enhance the town. Of particular concern was his hope that the site of the original Dominican Abbey at the centre of the town be conserved for future archaeological excavation. After moving to Toronto, he taught at the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, and at the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto from 1961 till 1984.
In 1984, Boyle was appointed Prefect of the Vatican Library by Pope John Paul II. This appointment took Boyle by surprise but would appear to have been a recognition of his immense scholarship, expertise in antiquity and renowned interest in learning as a whole. In an effort to modernize the Vatican Library, Father Boyle set about the digitization of the library's many thousands of manuscripts that dated from hundreds of years BC, which would lead to their greater availability to scholars around the world. Boyle also extended the opening hours of the library and employed women for the first time as part of the library's staff. In 1987 he was made Officer of the Order of Canada.
Known for his wit and independence of mind and spirit, Boyle was once asked of his interest in being a cardinal given the fact that all of his predecessors went on to be cardinals. His reply was in the negative saying 'nothing but the Papacy' would do him.
Following his death from cancer, Father Boyle was buried in his beloved Basilica di San Clemente in 2000, a year after his death, following official desire to give him the honour of interment in the vaults of San Clemente - one of Rome's holiest and most historical shrines.
Born in Ballintra, County Donegal, Ireland, Boyle spent some years in Tralee following the death of his older brother John in 1940. The latter was a member of the police and drowned while on holiday in Ballybunion, Co. Kerry.
Educated in Gaelic, he entered the Dominican Order in 1943, and was ordained to the Priesthood in 1949, having received his Doctorate in Oxford. He frequently visited Tralee, where a number of his family still resided, and was involved in many projects in the town. His immense knowledge and expertise in historical and archaeological issues was freely given in order to enhance the town. Of particular concern was his hope that the site of the original Dominican Abbey at the centre of the town be conserved for future archaeological excavation. After moving to Toronto, he taught at the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, and at the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto from 1961 till 1984.
In 1984, Boyle was appointed Prefect of the Vatican Library by Pope John Paul II. This appointment took Boyle by surprise but would appear to have been a recognition of his immense scholarship, expertise in antiquity and renowned interest in learning as a whole. In an effort to modernize the Vatican Library, Father Boyle set about the digitization of the library's many thousands of manuscripts that dated from hundreds of years BC, which would lead to their greater availability to scholars around the world. Boyle also extended the opening hours of the library and employed women for the first time as part of the library's staff. In 1987 he was made Officer of the Order of Canada.
Known for his wit and independence of mind and spirit, Boyle was once asked of his interest in being a cardinal given the fact that all of his predecessors went on to be cardinals. His reply was in the negative saying 'nothing but the Papacy' would do him.
Following his death from cancer, Father Boyle was buried in his beloved Basilica di San Clemente in 2000, a year after his death, following official desire to give him the honour of interment in the vaults of San Clemente - one of Rome's holiest and most historical shrines.
Born in Creggan, Ballybofey Co.Donegal.Ordained December 1949. Prefect of the Vatican Library,Rome 1984-1997.Died in Salvator Mundi International Hospital,Rome.∼Father Leonard Eugene Boyle was an Irish - Canadian scholar in medieval studies and palaeography and was the first Irish and North American Prefect of the Vatican Library in Rome from 1984 till 1997.
Born in Ballintra, County Donegal, Ireland, Boyle spent some years in Tralee following the death of his older brother John in 1940. The latter was a member of the police and drowned while on holiday in Ballybunion, Co. Kerry.
Educated in Gaelic, he entered the Dominican Order in 1943, and was ordained to the Priesthood in 1949, having received his Doctorate in Oxford. He frequently visited Tralee, where a number of his family still resided, and was involved in many projects in the town. His immense knowledge and expertise in historical and archaeological issues was freely given in order to enhance the town. Of particular concern was his hope that the site of the original Dominican Abbey at the centre of the town be conserved for future archaeological excavation. After moving to Toronto, he taught at the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, and at the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto from 1961 till 1984.
In 1984, Boyle was appointed Prefect of the Vatican Library by Pope John Paul II. This appointment took Boyle by surprise but would appear to have been a recognition of his immense scholarship, expertise in antiquity and renowned interest in learning as a whole. In an effort to modernize the Vatican Library, Father Boyle set about the digitization of the library's many thousands of manuscripts that dated from hundreds of years BC, which would lead to their greater availability to scholars around the world. Boyle also extended the opening hours of the library and employed women for the first time as part of the library's staff. In 1987 he was made Officer of the Order of Canada.
Known for his wit and independence of mind and spirit, Boyle was once asked of his interest in being a cardinal given the fact that all of his predecessors went on to be cardinals. His reply was in the negative saying 'nothing but the Papacy' would do him.
Following his death from cancer, Father Boyle was buried in his beloved Basilica di San Clemente in 2000, a year after his death, following official desire to give him the honour of interment in the vaults of San Clemente - one of Rome's holiest and most historical shrines.
Born in Ballintra, County Donegal, Ireland, Boyle spent some years in Tralee following the death of his older brother John in 1940. The latter was a member of the police and drowned while on holiday in Ballybunion, Co. Kerry.
Educated in Gaelic, he entered the Dominican Order in 1943, and was ordained to the Priesthood in 1949, having received his Doctorate in Oxford. He frequently visited Tralee, where a number of his family still resided, and was involved in many projects in the town. His immense knowledge and expertise in historical and archaeological issues was freely given in order to enhance the town. Of particular concern was his hope that the site of the original Dominican Abbey at the centre of the town be conserved for future archaeological excavation. After moving to Toronto, he taught at the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, and at the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto from 1961 till 1984.
In 1984, Boyle was appointed Prefect of the Vatican Library by Pope John Paul II. This appointment took Boyle by surprise but would appear to have been a recognition of his immense scholarship, expertise in antiquity and renowned interest in learning as a whole. In an effort to modernize the Vatican Library, Father Boyle set about the digitization of the library's many thousands of manuscripts that dated from hundreds of years BC, which would lead to their greater availability to scholars around the world. Boyle also extended the opening hours of the library and employed women for the first time as part of the library's staff. In 1987 he was made Officer of the Order of Canada.
Known for his wit and independence of mind and spirit, Boyle was once asked of his interest in being a cardinal given the fact that all of his predecessors went on to be cardinals. His reply was in the negative saying 'nothing but the Papacy' would do him.
Following his death from cancer, Father Boyle was buried in his beloved Basilica di San Clemente in 2000, a year after his death, following official desire to give him the honour of interment in the vaults of San Clemente - one of Rome's holiest and most historical shrines.
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