by Lindsey Weishar
Special to The Leaven
LAWRENCE — Prayer is at the heart of Father Luke Doyle’s first book, “Priest in the Wild: Stories of Meeting God in the Everyday,” which will be published by Ascension Press at the end of August.
Father Doyle describes the book as “a simple invitation into the life of a priest who is striving to live at the intersection of Catholic faith and American culture.”
With stories about bears in Alaska to the realization that God wants us to talk to him about everything — even baseball — Father Doyle invites readers into his life of prayer.
Now chaplain and director of the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas, Father Doyle’s call to write this book began when he served as a preacher for the National Eucharistic Revival from 2022-2025.
During that time, he noticed that his preaching spoke to people, particularly through the stories he told. Encouragement from fellow priests and lay people prompted him to start writing.
His assignment to the St. Lawrence Center has also deepened the themes in his book.
“Walking with our students has helped me learn how to be a father in a new way, and it has also taught me how to more effectively proclaim the Gospel,” said Father Doyle.
The book contains a series of stories that introduce readers to insights from Father Doyle’s prayer life and priesthood.
Reflecting on the power of story, Father Doyle said, “I walk in the footsteps of the greatest storyteller in history, and like him, I believe in the power of a good story’s ability to teach, encourage, inspire and heal.”
Proceeds from Father Doyle’s book will support the St. Lawrence Center’s mission.
