Norwich bulletin., 1922-01-10

and when the four Brothers Byrne went
on tour with the IS Bells company in
the production written by John F. Byrne,
Michael Byrne was advance agent also
for a time stage manager.
Mrs. Byrne died in 1908 and as their
three children had located in other cit
les, their father began to consider seri-
ously an ambition Of his youth-Put
aside in the cares of business and the
excitement of theatrical life-to become
priest of the Roman Catholic church,
In a few instances the church has per
mitted widowers to enter it's seminaries
and ultima tely to receive holy orders,
provided they have proved their emil
nent fitness for ordination to the priest
hood Of a church which ordinarily i'm
poses cel5bacy and prohibits marriage
,, after ordination. That Michael Byrne
had never quite gii77en UP his seriousness
l.uf purpose was demonstrated when, after
disappearing from the world which had
known him in connection with his broth
| ers' pubic life, he entered the Seminary
of Loretto at Ebensburg, near Altoona,
Penn, and was able TO make the usual
four years course Of preparation with
out any delay. The late Cardinal James
Gibbons set the date for his ordination.
| June Is, 1913, and he was ordained a
| priest by Ri. Rev. Eugene A. Carney,
bishop Of Altoona. He returned to his
home church, St. Patricks, Norwich. to
sing his first solemn high mass the fol-
| lowing Sunday, then was assigned 20
the cathedral at Savannah, Ga, with
| Bishop B. j.. Kelly.
After that the world heard little
about the earnest, working priest,
until June IS. 1917, it was announced
that hehad been appointed chaplain at
/ the great federal prison at Atlanta, with
| its population of over 1000. Here there
was large proportion of men of many
| nationalities of the Catholic faith and
| the new chaplain found constant work
| to do His first effort was to have a
| special chapel erected for these men, and
the former warden, Fred G. zerbst, read
| lily fell in with the plan. which drew out
all the talent of the conVicts, who start
ed in with a will to build finish and dec
crate the little church. Each month
Good Words, the prison publication.
would have a column of news items
about Father Byrne, mis- effortssin behalf
of the men, his good influence, and the
broad, charitable, kindly character OF
his laGoors for those whose warped ma
| lures were changed by the gentle force
Of religion and persuasion as they never
could have been by the rigorous disci-
pline expected behind stone walls
The Eagles of Savannah, to which or
der Father Byrne belonged, sent many
beautiful statues and other articles to
help toward the adornment of the pris-
on, chapel. Hide as he would from the
great outside world, it became known
through, friends in Atlanta how zeal
ously + good priest was devoting him
self to lis wards-daily mass, visits to
the patients in the prison hospital and
tuberculosis wards nhinistering to the
: dying. burying the dead and encourag
ing the living, instructing class for
/ confirmation, administering holy com
tmunion to the penitent and the last con-
soling sacraments to the dying, writing
home to sorrowful wives and old moth
ers of prisoners, going. to the great ma
sional conference In Washington to ex.
plain the place OF the Catholic chaplain
IN an institution for delinquents-to TT,
! to effect legislation which would lock at
: ter the man released from prison als<
:. to inspire nationwide Catholic organ
lzation which would look after the fam
| lies of convicts until such q time a,
a modern civilization will advance to
point where prisoners are paid for thei
labors and enabled to send share O
their remuneration to the needy a
, home-such were among the varied ac
e Invites of one who was venerated an,
n respected as truly the Convicts' Friend
o Father Byrne lived to see the tim
a when Atlanta penitentiary had estab
: lfshed tire duck mill in which thos
Z prisoners employed actually were en-
n abled to spare something from thei
wages to help their families.
It It was Oct when Father Byrne wa
: suddenly taken Ill with acute kfdme
It trouble and he was cared for in his lsris
v on quarters until his condition becam
1 too serious for this. He was visited b
i his daughter, Miss Mary E. Byrne, I
+ $. A., stationed at the government hosp
tai at Winthrop, Mass, and by his so
II (Major) DR.. John F. Byrne. Of FAIL
II mount, ". Va, surgeon for the Bait
IS more & Ohio railroad. For time Fathe
y Byrne went to Paramount, then TO Car
/ ney hospital, Boston, as stated.
BESIDES his three children and tt