Bishop C. Andrew Doyle to preach at convention

“Met Jesus on Pilgrimage, still walking.”

That’s the six-word autobiography of the Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, and preacher at the opening Eucharist at the 2014 Diocesan Convention at 1 p.m. Friday, November 14  in the Jack Daniel’s Club at Globe Life Park in Arlington. More information on convention and visitor registration is here.

Like most of the people of this diocese, Bishop Doyle unabashedly Episcopalian. That’s even the title of his book – Unabashedly Episcopalian: Proclaiming the Good News of The Episcopal Church. Doyle serves on the Task Force for Reimagining The Episcopal Church (TREC). He writes a blog, tweets @TexasBishop to his 6,324 followers, and was featured in the August, 2009, issue of Texas Monthly.

Charles Andrew Doyle (Andy) was elected bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Texas on May 24, 2008 and was consecrated on November 22, 2008 at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Houston. He was seated as the ninth Bishop of Texas on June 7, 2009 at Christ Church Cathedral, Houston, following the retirement of the Rt. Rev. Don Wimberly.

Doyle was born in 1966 in Carbondale, Illinois, and raised in Houston. He holds a bachelor of fine arts from the University of North Texas and served at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, Austin, before receiving an M Div from Virginia Theological Seminary. He was ordained deacon in 1995 and priest the following year. He served at Christ Church, Temple, St. Francis, College Station, and as Canon to the Ordinary for Bishop Wimberly.

Here is his expanded autobiography from the diocesan website:

“This 11 year old didn’t know what to expect when he agreed to spend nine days walking 168 miles across Mexico from San Miguel de Allende to San Juan de Los Agos with his father. Having grown up as a High Church Anglo-Catholic in the Diocese of Texas, this pilgrimage was a new faith experience.

“Pilgrimages are full body prayer journeys: walking, seeing, singing, praying, sensing, and eating. My immersion in the culture opened my eyes to see the diversity of God’s people. It also made firm my commitment to serve the poor and the stranger, as they had served me.

“Walking with my dad shaped my fatherhood. Logging hours, miles and days on the road as bishop, requires attentive planning to assure  that JoAnne and I provide a stable family, community and church life for our children Caisa and Zoë.

“As a child, I met Jesus. He is the same Jesus who lights my path today when I walk into a valley and out the other side. Throughout my 20+ years of diverse ministry in this diocese Christ has walked by my side. He guides my every step today.”