Another excellent episcopal appointment from Pope Francis



Some excellent news today that the National Ecumenical Officer for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Fr Robert Byrne CO, has been appointed as an Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham.




This is excellent news as Fr. Robert really is a wonderful priest and I think continues the trend of some really good episcopal appointments for us here in the UK. It is a great affirmation for the Oratorians and signals a further strengthening of our episcopacy. You only need to watch the short video interview above to see how Fr. Robert is completely a man of God.

Please pray for Fr Robert as he prepares for his episcopal ordination. He will be the first Oratorian bishop appointed in England since 1874, when Fr Edward Bagshawe of the London Oratory became Bishop of Nottingham.

Bishop elect Byrne’s episcopal ordination will take place at 11am on Tuesday 13 May 2014 at the Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, St Chad’s Cathedral. He will succeed Bishop Philip Pargeter, who has been Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham since 1990.

Fr Robert Byrne's Biography

Born in Manchester on 22 September 1956, the youngest son of Sidney and Monica Byrne.

Education
St Bede’s College, Manchester
King’s College, London (BD and BD AKC)
Pontifical College of St Thomas Aquinas, Rome

Timeline
1980
Entered Birmingham Oratory

1985
Ordained priest

1984-1988
Chaplain, St Philip’s College, Edgbaston

1990
Founder, Oxford Oratory

1993-2011
Provost, Oxford Oratory

1990-1999
Parish Priest, St Aloysius Parish, Oxford

2000-2011
Secretary of the Permanent Deputation of the International Federation of the Congregations of the Oratory

1996-date
Trustee and Governor of Oratory School

1988-date
Prison chaplain

Pastoral Areas
Fr Robert Byrne’s pastoral areas will include the following six deaneries:

Birmingham (Cathedral, North, South and East)
Kidderminster
Worcester

Key responsibilities
Affirm and strengthen Catholic life in the Pastoral Area
Represent the Archbishop locally
Facilitate initiatives to strengthen and encourage the life of deaneries and parishes
Carry out formal visitations to parishes
Celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation

Fr Robert Byrne will become the titular bishop of Cuncacestre

Comments

  1. Ben Trovato15 March 2014 at 19:02

    Yes, an excellent appointment. My mother lived in the Oxford Oratory parish till her death, so I know Fr Robert a bit: a great priest.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pilar16 March 2014 at 20:09

    A wonderful appointment. Deo Gratias.

    ReplyDelete

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