Born Joseph Boyle on May 1, 1898 in Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania, his family moved to Jersey City, New Jersey at a young age. At fifteen years old he entered the Passionist Preparatory College at St. Joseph’s Monastery, Baltimore, Maryland. He professed his vows at St. Paul of the Cross, Pittsburgh on September 15, 1916 and received the name Donald. He was ordained on January 21, 1923 in St. Gabriel’s Chapel, Brighton, Massachusetts by Cardinal William O’Connell.
After Sacred Eloquence Father Boyle became a member of the Passionist mission band of preachers. After several years he was appointed Lector of Dogmatic Theology but after some reflection it was decided not to send him to Rome for higher studies. In 1928 chronic bronchitis set in and while he did not appear to have tuberculosis, it was decided to send him to Tucson, Arizona so he could gain strength from the dry climate. Strength regained, he was sent in 1932 to the Passionist mission in Argentina. After one year he had to return to the United States to once again regain his energy. In 1935 he was hospitalized at St. Francis Hospital, Wilkes- Barre, Pennsylvania. Still, illness lingered though he appeared to recover again in 1937 and was once again sent to Arizona. By 1937 he had once more succumbed to illness and died on November 3.