BYRNE, WILLIAM

BYRNE, WILLIAM. - Missionary and educator, b. in 1780 in County Wicklow (Ireland), d. on 5 June 1833 at Bardstown, in the state of Kentucky, U.S.A. From his youth he felt the vocation to the priesthood and, having emigrated to America at the age of 25, he settled at Georgetown College. He then began the study of Latin and, after attending Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg and the seminaries of Baltimore and Bardstown, he was ordained priest in 1819 by Bishop David. After his ordination he carried out active missionary work. Realizing the need to provide first of all for the education and instruction of the faithful, and especially of their children, B. founded St. Mary's College near Bardstown in 1821, directing it for twelve years. A few months before his death, he gave the institution to the Jesuits, and intended to move to Nashville in order to found a similar college there; but when an epidemic of cholera broke out, he went to the infected area to administer the sacraments to the dying; he died precisely because he was struck by the disease.