The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-07-26
BISHOP BYRNE IS
NOTED AS BUILDER
Of FINE CHURCHES
Catholic Bishop Of Nashville
Celebrates His Golden and
Episcopal JubiIeeS With
Record of Great Work.

NASHVILLE, Tenn, July 90. (SpD.
FIFTY years as a prelate OF the Cath
clio church d the record Of the Ri. Rev.
Thomas Sebantlan Byrne. bishop Of the
diocese q Nashville, who today eele-
GRATED his Both anniversary as priest
and bishop OF his church.
Fifty years ago Friday he was or
GAINED a parish priest. Twenty-Five
years ago Friday he was consecrated
bishop and began his work almost i'm
medihtey in Nashville.
The achievements Of this remarkable
~churchman have been wonderful. Most
people feel that when they have estab-
lshd one church, built Il, seen II start
Cd forward and going successfully, they
nave o a great work. They feel
the same about a charity, and in both,
cases they are doubtless right. Since
coming to Nashville his achievements
have been amazing. due, perhaps large
ly, to the fact that he kept steadily
on. always building, always working
He has built st. Thomas hospital,
and in this set the high standard for
hospital work which hak been rigidly
kept to that same high Standard. Ho
has built the Catholic orphanage on
the Harding road. and so has provided.
for many children who would otherwise
have been destitute.
He has built the home OF the Little
Sisters OF the Poor, and so made secure
~6SaAboN whit 0lll oullVllHE AlA0N tAFEML
appealing Of all helplessness-the aged
homeless, The Knights OF Columbus
have done and are doing a notable work
for younger ~nlen--doing II magnificent
w.
Bishop Byrne has built the beautiful
cathedral on West End avenue, the
crown-piece Of his great achievements,
The Episcopal residence, his own
home, the home OF young priests and
visiting priests OF all ages and orders,
Is another OF his buildings. The school
building and chapel adjoining this is
another. These three buildings are ce
Roman architecture; severely plain, OF
imposing dignity. and in this have an
appealing attrac tion Of their own.
In East Nashville Bishop Byrne has
built a new church and a school to re-
place the buildings destroyed by the
buildings follow the style of the West
End structures, though they are not
SO extensive in arrangement and finish.
All, however, are built with an eye
single to the substantial, to conven-
ience n to usefulness.
The convent schools under the super
vision Of Bishop Byrne have prospered,
grown, beer Of great help and en-
couragernent to many young girls who
would otherwise not have been able to
make good. The high order Of these
schools has been rigldly maintained,
i anu oil HkDQcIU DTd1CneS Ot euucaLlOn
Rave been added to the course of in
struction in each Of these.
Work in Memphis.
In Memphis, the St. ThoAaas cnape
and school have been built, and are
prospecting most satisfactorily.
st. Patrtck's church Inc school have
also been built in Memphis, and a
Directory, or home for priests,
The convent OF the Sacred Heart is
an acquisition since the coming Of
Bishop Byrne TO Nashville; and at
Btnghampton, a suburb Of Memphis, a
school and church haveN been built and
are doing good work, giving faithful
In Chattanooga a Directory has been
| built, and 4 new school building, 1t is
said, will Soon be erected.
In GAINESVILLE and Franklin there is
| testimony to the efficiency and fore
sight of the bishop OF Nashville. Both
these towns have something new in the
matter Of building.
In Winchester has been erected a
beautiful school building and a hand
some church, This school Is in charge
OF the Dominican sisters from the
mother house at Nashville, st. Cecilia
convent. These sisters are also In
charge OF Clarksville, Memphis, Chat
tanooga and Jackson, whore the great
work OF building and growing has also
been good.
Throughout the mountains Of Ten
nessee there are little chapels, small
and unobtrusive, tucked away among
the hills, There Is a good priest in
charge who Is said to have a parish
as large as a. diocese. This Is one OF
the most beautiful missions in all the
diocese. and has for It one Of the most
C0hsecratad of the diocese priests-a
man greatly in loye with his work, his
mission and with suffering humanity's
/ needs.
This is merely a part of Bishop
| Byrne's great work In Tennessee. These
| "items"I Have been gathered from the
outside, It being impossible to get in
touch with the bishop himself. Bishop
| Byrne Is a quiet man, modest, of great
dignity and force. He goes calmly
about his business, disturbing none, but
always at work.
He Is a born builder" as the say
ing goes. He not only knows good
building, but he knows how to build,
They tell OF him that once. when
there seemed some danger Of his West
End school building not being COM
| pleted in time for the opening, that
he simply took a trowel and made one
of the builders.
In the building Of the orphanage out
of sight Of .he passing world, he Ia
said to have built along with the best
of them. II may be said Of him that
he works with his hands, his head and
u IL 1850.