The Charleston and Savannah Dioceses Trained the First and Fifth
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February 18, 2010 FEATURE Southern Cross, Page 5 The Charleston and Savannah Dioceses trained the first and fifth Bishops of Little Rock y coincidence, first and fifth bishops of Little Rock shared the same Bgiven name and middle initial as well as the area where their indi- vidual careers began. Andrew J. Byrne, first Bishop of Little Rock—though born in Ireland—graduated from a Charleston seminary and conducted his early ministry in Georgia and the Carolinas. Andrew J. McDonald, a Savannah native, was ordained in the Diocese of Savannah and served there until 1972 when he became bishop of Little Rock. Andrew J. Byrne volunteered in the new bishop eventually became 1820 for Bishop John England’s discouraged and asked that the . Diocese of Charleston, which then Diocese of Little Rock be dis- included the Carolinas, Georgia solved and returned to the care of and Florida. In 1827, the 25-year- Saint Louis. This request denied, old Byrne became the first gradu- Byrne dug in. He began making ate of Charleston’s Saint John the sweeping trips of 700-1,000 miles Baptist Seminary, an institution on horseback to visit his people. In Bishop England hoped would sup- 1845, he ordained Father Thomas ply his diocese with priests. A big, McKenna, the first priest ordained red-headed man, Father Byrne hit in Arkansas. A recruiting trip to the mission trail soon after ordina- Ireland resulted in the Sisters of Arkansas Catholic photo by Malea Hargett tion. Mercy’s founding Saint Mary’s By 1828, Byrne was travel- Academy at Little Rock Little Rock Bishop Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald, who now lives in ing the expansive Diocese of Monsignor O’Connell, in Palatine, Illinois, greets Lilly Hess of the Little Rock Scripture Study after a Charleston. During this Catholicity in the Carolinas Mass at Saint John Center in Little Rock. period, he served at and Georgia, says that dur- of James Bernard and Theresa of Little Rock—when he was in Holy Trinity Church, ing his 18 years as bishop, McGreal McDonald of Savannah, his forties, it also came to Andrew Augusta. He was pastor Byrne “increased the num- Andrew Joseph McDonald attend- J. McDonald. He was 49 when he of Saint Mary’s Church ber of churches from four to ed local Catholic schools and, was named Bishop of Little Rock in Charleston from 1830- eighteen, with fifty stations, discerning a vocation to the priest- in 1972. 1835. A man of keen intel- added twenty priests and six hood, enrolled at Saint Charles Ecumenical and friendly, he ligence and considerable ecclesiastical students to the Minor Seminary near Baltimore at reached out to those of other faiths stamina, the burly Byrne Rita H. DeLorme number of clergy; erected 14. After completing his studies at and consistently involved the was slated for service four religious institutions Saint Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, laity in his ministry. The October and adventures further afield. As and twelve schools and seminaries McDonald was ordained a priest 24, 1998 issue of the Arkansas Bishop England‘s theologian, where there had been none, leav- in the Cathedral of Saint John the Catholic noted that, during Bishop he attended the second Council ing behind a population of 50,000 Baptist, Savannah, in 1948. McDonald’s episcopacy, agencies of Baltimore with England —an Catholics.” A year’s study at Catholic such as a Clergy Personnel Board experience that probably impacted At his death in 1862, Bishop University of America fol- and Clergy Welfare Board, Priest’s his later career. Byrne had further plans pending: lowed. Next came two years at Synod, and Diocesan Council of In 1836, Father Byrne moved to establishment of Saint Andrew’s the Lateran University in Rome, Women Religious were created. New York, becoming assistant at College at Fort Smith and of a resulting in a doctorate in canon Now living in retirement near Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. In 1844, house of Brothers of the Christian law. Appointed assistant pastor Chicago as chaplain for the while pastor of Saint Andrew Schools. of Port Wentworth’s Our Lady of Little Sisters of the Poor, Bishop Church, Byrne was appointed first Andrew J. McDonald, fifth Lourdes Parish in 1951, McDonald Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald bishop of the frontier Diocese Bishop of Little Rock and now was also an official of the dioc- continues his ministry in the 21st of Little Rock and consecrated Bishop Emeritus, shares an early esan marriage tribunal. Under century. at Saint Patrick’s. Conditioned diocesan locale with Bishop Bishop Thomas J. McDonough, by missionary experience, Byrne Byrne, but bears little physical he became vicar general of the Columnist RITA H. DELORME seemed a “natural” for an area resemblance to the portly Bishop Diocese of Savannah. In 1963, is a volunteer in the Diocesan spanning all of Arkansas and the Byrne, known to contemporaries Monsignor McDonald became pas- Archives. She can be reached Cherokee and Choctaw Nations. as “the biggest man in the state of tor of Blessed Sacrament Church, at [email protected]. Bumping along primitive trails, Arkansas.” Savannah, remaining there for nine and short of funds and personnel, The eleventh of twelve children years. Then, just as change came } to Andrew J. Byrne—first bishop TV Mass Schedule Maycrest HARDWARE CENTER AUGUSTA Shop at Maycrest and Save! Sunday, 10:00 a.m. WAGT-TV Great Selection, Low Prices! SAVANNAH 1609 Montgomery Cross Roads, Saturday, 6:00 p.m. Cable 7 Savannah, GA Sunday, 5:30 a.m. WTOC-TV (912) 354-2045.