Salesians choose new Provincial

Fr Martin Coyle

Fr Martin Coyle has been chosen as the next Provincial of the GBR Province.

In November 2009, Fr Fabio Attard came to the UK for just under a week to carry out a consultation process for the next Provincial of the GBR Province. The members of the General Council considered the matter during their winter meeting, but at the request of Fr Michael Winstanley the decision was kept secret until after Christmas.

Early on the morning of 26th December the Rector Major telephoned Fr Martin Coyle from Rome to tell him that he had appointed him to take over from our present Provincial in August 2010. He accepted. Shortly afterwards, Fr Fabio Attard telephoned Fr Michael Winstanley with the news. The response of one member of the Bolton community was "Excellent... poor man!".

Fr Martin Coyle, 45, was born in Cambuslang, near Glasgow in Scotland. He went to Shrigley in 1976 and made his novitiate in Dublin. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1993 and after teaching posts in Bootle and Chertsey he became Assistant Headteacher and then Headteacher at Thornleigh College Bolton. He served on the Provincial Council from 2000 to 2006. His present position is Rector of the Bollington community, where he plays a very active part in the work of the Savio House youth retreat centre. Bollington Community