Fr. Mike Boyle, C.M., was born to Bernard Boyle and Josephine McElhinney in Chicago, IL, on September 24, 1928. He was baptized at Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica on Chicago’s west side on October 5, 1928. Fr. Mike was the oldest of four children with one sister and two younger brothers. He was a product of the Catholic school system of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Over the course of his elementary school years, he studied at four different schools in the city. He entered Quigley Seminary as a freshman in 1942 but withdrew in 1945, applying to St. Vincent’s College in Cape Girardeau, MO.
He graduated in 1947 and began his novitiate in the Congregation of the Mission at St. Mary of the Barrens in Perryville, MO. He withdrew from the novitiate after nine months, citing that he was uncertain as to whether he wished to be a priest. However, it seems that his parents had made the decision to return to Ireland and he wished to join them there. It did not take long for him to decide to return to the United States, where shortly thereafter he re-entered the novitiate and continued his studies for the priesthood. He made his final vows on September 8, 1955, at St. Mary’s Seminary and was ordained to the priesthood on June 7, 1960.
Fr. Boyle’s first assignment was to join the faculty at St. Vincent’s Seminary in Montebello, CA. He spent 10 years at the seminary and served in various capacities, teaching Latin, science, and literature and serving as spiritual director and vocation director. Fr. Mike’s creativity shined as he interacted with other vocation directors.
His work at St. Vincent’s in Phoenix as associate pastor and pastor became his perennial concern. He served at St. Vincent’s from 1969 to 1970 and again as pastor from 1974 to 1980 and as an associate from 1980 to 2009. From 1970 to 2009 Fr. Boyle served as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Patterson, CA.
Fr. Boyle’s creativity, innate intelligence and fascination with technology led to a local project that became a familiar name in many dioceses—the Parish Data System. Testing the program during his time as pastor and again as associate at St. Vincent’s in Phoenix, Fr. Boyle developed a database program that placed all sacramental records, financial records, parish census data, and other data into one comprehensive program. The project began as an experiment and grew into a company with Fr. Boyle at the helm. Over time, he retired from the PDS work but maintained a pastoral presence in “his city” of Phoenix. In his later years, Fr. Boyle continued to serve in various parishes in the Diocese of Phoenix, living among the diocesan clergy. Most recently, he served at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Scottsdale, AZ.
During the winter of 2021-22, Fr. Boyle contracted COVID-19. He recovered, but the disease left him weak. He returned to St. Mary of the Barrens, the place where his Vincentian journey began, on Feb. 8, 2022. Shortly after the move, his health declined and he endured an extended hospital stay. He returned home to St. Mary’s, and shortly thereafter, Fr. Michael Boyle returned to God on April 4, 2022.
Funeral Services:
Friday April 8, 2022
Reception of the remains of Fr. Boyle Apostle of Charity Residence, Mother of God Chapel, Perryville, MO
Wake and Vigil Service, Mother of God Chapel.
Saturday, April 9, 2022
Mass of Christian Burial, Mother of God Chapel, Perryville, MO.