Norwich bulletin., 1919-01-10
CHAPLAIN BYRNE'S BUSY YEAR
 AT ATLANTA PENlTENTiARY

Tn the annual report of the United States Penitentiary, Atlanta. Ga.,, Fred G. Zebst, warden, the resident Catho- lie chaplain, Rev. Michael J. Byrne, native of Norwich. son of the late MT. and Mrs. Joseph Byrne, submits his report. There was a total of 1.557 prisoners in the institution for the year. 426 be- ing listed as Catholics. The next higla- est number was 359 Baptists; Metho- dists numbering 276, Jewish 105; Epis- copalians 62; Christian church 35, Presbyterians and Lutherans I3 and Congregationalists IA. No preference was expressed by S., there were five Christian Scientists, Orthodox Greek, , Holiness, Quakers, Universalists. 1 3 Confucians, Adventists, Dutch Reformed and one or two other de- nominations.
 Father Byrne received his appoint ment Sept. 1st, 1917. He writes of I.his work: My earnest desire to be | of real help to those who have come under my spiritual charge, has met
 with almost instant and universal re- i sponse from the men. That they are 1 their behalf is evidenced by the in- creased attendance at mass and re- ception of the Sacraments.
 | From the beginning it has been my ! i'm to put myself in close personal
 touch with the individual person, work 1 ing on the theory that crime has for 1 its ulterior cause some form of spirit
 ual disease Consequently a great deas
 of anytime each day has been devoted
 i to personal interviews and, having
 made a careful diagnosis of each case.
 | I have prescribed to the best of my
 i ability the proper spiritual medica-
 1 ments which, together with sincere
 i fatherly advice, have produced re-
 suits far beyond my expectations.
 The men in the Hospital and Tub
 | culosis Tents have been the object of
 my special solicitude and to those who have departed this life, I have admin istered the final consultations of their church.
 T am under deep and lasting obli-
 gation to you, Mr Zerbst, for the mor- al and active support you have ex- tended to me and, especially, for the new chapel set aside at your sugges- tion for the members Of my eongre- gation. Your splendid cooperation , in making this ideal place of worship 3 possible is greatly appreciated by me, < and that I am joined in this feeling by s the Catholic prisoners is demonstrated 5 ] by the fact that prior to the opening a of the chapel the average attendance at mass on Sunday was about eighty, q while now the average attendance is a approximately three hundred and 5 steadily increasing.
 Our new chapel was blessed by the a Et Rev. Bishop Kelley of this diocese, a who also celebrated the first mass in a it on Sunday, April 14th, 1918 and de- 4 livered sermons in both English and < Italian"
 \ The Protestant chaplain, Rev. Dr, N Joseph A. Sewell, in closing his special N report acknowledges the pleasant rela- ES tionship with Father Byrne, the Cath A olic chaplain. So, too, Father Byrne M writes:
 I Particularly, I am greatly indebted N to my colleague, Dr. Sewell, for his ts kindness and help on many occasions. 8 His tabulated report shows @ Number of prisoners of Catholic S faith, June 30th, 1918, 451: average & attendance at mass 2S5; number oi N holy communions received, 37S; mum E Der of prisoners baptized, 3; number N of Catholics annointed on deathbed, 4 K number of Catholics died, s: number E of interviews given in office 1901: to- M tai number of interviews and visit. & 4,241; number of Cathode papers ant & magazines distributed to Catholic in m mates 2400