Update: Fr. Brendan Doyle Suspended from Public Ministry

By Emily Allen
KOMU
March 15, 2012

http://www.komu.com/news/update-fr-brendan-doyle-suspended-from-public-ministry-28886/

JEFFERSON CITY - Father Brendan Doyle will no longer be able to participate in public ministries in Jefferson City or elsewhere. A seven-person review board for the Jefferson City Diocese recommended Doyle be suspended indefinitely.

The Diocese's Deacon Dan Joyce said the review board decided this after reviewing evidence from the investigation put on by the US Attorney's office. Bishop Gaydos accepted the recommendation from the review board and Doyle was suspended.

The investigation started in November when a Helias High School computer technician discovered pornographic web images on Doyle's computer.

The details of these images were not released. However, the review board said the images violated the charter protecting children and young people.

The Diocese placed Doyle on a leave of absence when the images were discovered. Joyce said in a meeting with the media that pornographic images were on both Doyle's school computer and personal computer.

Doyle served as Immaculate Conception's Senior Priest in residence. He also had ties to Helias High School. When asked if he worked with children, Joyce said Doyle "performed normal duties in those positions." There were no previously recorded complaints against Doyle.

There was some speculation that the images landed on Doyle's computer because of a virus or hacker. Joyce said the review board reviewed the information from the investigation and made the decision accordingly.