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Thursday, December 07, 2000 The Southern Cross, Page 3 Life and Times of Father Michael J. Byrne, prison chaplain in the Savannah Diocese in the 1920s F ather Michael J. Byrne’s biography would make a great movie. Bom in 1857 in Norwich, Connecticut, Michael Byme wanted nothing more than to join the Passionist Order, although ill health forced him to discontinue his reli gious studies. Cut adrift from his vocation, the young man decided to sign on as business manager and public relations person with his brothers’ theatrical company, “The Eight Bells”. As a member of their troupe, he traveled much of the country and overseas as well. At thirty-seven, he married Mary Scanlon, a childhood friend. Michael and Mary Byrnes had three children, two of whom would later serve in World War I. When his wife died in 1908, the grieving husband returned to his original vocation: the priesthood, commencing his studies at 51 years of age, at Saint Francis College, Loretto, Pennsylvania. Following ordination, he was assigned to the Diocese of Savannah. After several years of parish work in Savannah, he was reassigned; this time, to be chap lain at the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta. Father Byrne’s years of residency at the penitientiary—1917-1921— occurred during the post-World War I period when soldiers returning from duty often found themselves unskil led and jobless. Many of these men drifted on a tide of hopelessness into a life of crime. Immigrants unfamil iar with both the language and mores of this country constituted another segment of the population headed for trouble. As prison chaplain, Father Byme had been primed by his varied background: theatrical troupe mem ber, world traveler, husband and father, and—finally—priest, for his new ministry. Writing for The Bul letin in an article of June 1921, Father Byme tried to explain what it was like being pastor to inmates of a federal penitentiary. He men tioned his early efforts to obtain a separate place for Catholic prisoners to worship. Given a room which had once served as a prison tailor shop, Father Byme and the Catholic inmates worked to transform their spare, designated space into a chapel. Bishop Benjamin J. Keiley consecrated the new place of worship as the Chapel of Our Fady of Perpetual Help on April 14, 1918. Over a period of several years, one of the prisoners—an Italian artist—undertook the beautifi cation of the “government-issue” room. This modem “Michaelangelo” painted the windows of the chapel to simulate stained glass, decorated the walls and ceilings of the sanctuary and enhanced the enlarged altar with a beautiful oil painting of Our Fady of Perpetual Help. Statues and sta tions of the Cross came from donors in Savannah and a pipe organ was underwritten by Federal authorities. Refurbishing the humble chapel was not in vain. Father Byme noted that it was filled to capacity every Sunday morning and that the number of com municants was so great that he some times had to seek outside help. In 1921, with 560 Catholic inmates in the prison, the priest was pleased to note that 90% of that number had made their Easter duties. Prison life was still prison life and the chaplain lamented the lack of preparation and means for his “boys” when they even tually left the place. He fretted over the fate of their family members who had no support and who sometimes had to resort to illegal activities them selves in order to survive. He worried that the paroled prisoner “owing to his utter lack of references” would find it impossible to obtain work. When the ten dollars supplied the freed inmate had dwindled away, said Father Byme, “he must either starve or go back to crime.” Father Michael Byrne The chaplain campaigned for pris oners to be given paid work while in carcerated so that, with a “nest egg” nurtured while they were imprisoned, they might have the means to exist “outside” until they could find employment. While Father Byrnes was stationed at the Federal peniti- tiary at Atlanta he was pleased to see that at least one business, the Duck Mill Company, was offering inmates the chance to make money while imprisoned. Father Byrnes inaugurat ed a Catholic circulation library for the men under his charge and proud ly disclosed that the library had come to hold some 5,000 volumes “through gifts from publishers and well-wishers”. In gratitude for all he had done for them, the prisoners and prison authorities designated a new athletic field “Byme Stadium” in the chaplain’s honor. In ill health and needing surgery, Father Michael Byme continued to serve the men placed in his care almost to the time of his death on January 9, 1922, following an opera tion. A eulogy of Father Byme car ried in The Bulletin supplied the priest’s view of the inmates he served: “My boys, that’s what they are—my boys. Gunmen, counterfeit ers, yeggmen, they’re all one here. Boys in hard luck, who went wrong and were found out—that is the way I see them.” His pastoring did not stop at the doors of the prison. In many instances, the compassionate Father Byme managed to get aid for destitute families of those in jail— “no questions asked”—from groups such as the Saint Vincent de Paul Society. Father Michael Byrne’s life shone with many facets of dedication and service. His prison ministry occurred during a time when many prisons in Georgia were operating in a cmel and inhumane fashion and chain gangs were not an uncommon sight on highways. The book, I Am a Fugitive from a Georgia Chain Gang, was penned by Robert E. Bums, a man who was in a Georgia county prison at the time when Father Byme wrote his piece for The Bulletin describing life in a Federal prison. The author of the book was eerily like the men the priest encountered in his ministry: a soldier returning from World War I who got into trouble, fled a Georgia chain gang, and eventually landed in more trouble. The book and a 1932 film based on it helped bring about reform in many prisons throughout the state. Though not as dramatic, the ministry of prison chaplain, Father Michael J. Byme, made a difference in the lives of those he served as he participated in “the healing mission of Jesus Christ” in the Federal prison in Atlanta. Rita H. DeLorme is a volunteer in the Diocesan Archives. Rita H. DeLorme Cathedral (Continued from page I) as the temple of God, read in Spanish) and the Gospel according to John (on worship in spirit and tmth) from the new pulpit. Cardinal William H. Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore gave the homily (see page 4). The singing of the Litany of the Saints began the Rite of Dedication, which involved a solemn prayer followed by the anointing of the new altar, its incensation, clothing and lighting (see page 6). The bishop inaugurated the new ambry or recepta cle for the holy oils. Relatives of first Savannah Bishop Francis X. Gartland brought forward the gifts of bread and wine and symbolic gifts of bread and grapes, at the Presentation of the Gifts. The bishops of the Atlanta Province (Archbishop John F. Donoghue of Atlanta and Bishops William G. Curlin of Charlotte, F. Joseph Gossman of Raleigh and Ro bert J. Baker of Charleston) joined Bishop Boland in proclaiming the Eucharistic Prayer. After the distribution of Holy Communion, Archbishop Donoghue inaugurated the new tabernacle by solemnly placing a pyx containing the Host in it. Just before the final blessing, Father O’Neill stood stunned as Bishop Boland surprised him with the announcement of his appointment as a prelate of honor, with the title of monsignor, the first time a priest in the diocese has been so hon ored since 1967. During the ceremony, Father O’Neill found himself “reminiscing about different incidents over the last year,” he said afterward at a recep tion in neighboring Lafayette Square. “It was just like a maiden voyage. You wonder if things are going to go all right. It was like a jigsaw puzzle. In the end, all the pieces come together.” Throughout the last year, Father O’Neill clim bed scaffolding and swept floors, Bishop Boland said from the altar. “His temper flared and he smi led graciously,” Boland said. “He was an archi tect, artisan and project manager.” He also worked under one principle: there are two ways to do things. A right way. And a wrong way. “Heaven help you if you made the wrong selection,” Bi shop Boland said. His announcement was greeted with prolonged applause.