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Edwin Byrne
American Catholic prelate (1891–1963) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Edwin Vincent Byrne (August 9, 1891 – July 26, 1963) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in New Mexico from 1943 to 1963. He previously served in Puerto Rico as bishop of the Diocese of Ponce from 1925 to 1929 and as bishop of the Diocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico from 1929 to 1943.
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Biography
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Early life
Edwin Byrne was born on August 9, 1891, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Francis Charles and Anna (née Carroll) Byrne.[1] After graduating from Roman Catholic High School for Boys in Philadelphia in 1908, he studied at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia.[1]
Priesthood
Byrne was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia by Archbishop Edmond Francis Prendergast on May 22, 1915.[2] After his ordination, the archdiocese assigned Byrne as a curate at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Philadelphia. After the American entry into World War I in April 1917, he enlisted in the US Navy Chaplain Corps.[1]
In 1920, Byrne traveled to the Philippines to serve as secretary From 1920 to 1923, he was secretary to Bishop James McCloskey of the Diocese of Jaro. McCloskey named Byrne as vicar general of Jaro in 1923.[1]
Bishop of Ponce
On June 23, 1925, Byrne was appointed the first bishop of Ponce by Pope Pius XI. He received his episcopal consecration on November 30, 1925, at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul from Cardinal Dennis Joseph Dougherty, with Bishop John Joseph Swint and Bishop Andrew James Louis Brennan serving as co-consecrators.[2]
Bishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico
Pius XI appointed Byrne as bishop of San Juan on March 8, 1929.[2] The Vatican in 1940 elevated him to the rank of assistant at the Pontifical Throne.[1]
Archbishop of Santa Fe
Byrne was appointed the eighth archbishop of Santa Fe by Pope Pius XII on June 12, 1943.[2] During his 20-year-long tenure, he was instrumental in the construction of many churches and schools, and built up the diocesan clergy.[3] In 1958, his decree that no Catholic girl should appear in a bathing suit in the Miss New Mexico pageant received national attention and stirred controversy; he never rescinded the ban.[4][5] He condemned a "right to work" bill being considered in the New Mexico Legislature.[3] Byrne also prohibited Catholic students from dating while attending high school, describing "going steady, keeping steady company, necking and kissing" as "pagan" practices.[6] Byrne attended the first session of the Second Vatican Council in Rome in 1962.[3]
Death
Byrne suffered a gallbladder attack on July 21, 1963, and was admitted to St. Vincent Hospital in Santa Fe two days later.[3] He underwent surgery for gallbladder removal on July 26, 1963, dying later that day. He was buried at Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe.[3][2]
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