Robert Byrne (bishop) explained

Type:Bishop
Honorific-Prefix:The Right Reverend
Robert Byrne
Honorific-Suffix:C.O.
Bishop Emeritus of Hexham and Newcastle
Church:Catholic Church
Province:Liverpool
Diocese:Hexham and Newcastle
Appointed:4 February 2019
Term Start:25 March 2019
Term End:12 December 2022
Predecessor:Séamus Cunningham
Successor:Stephen Wright
Ordination:5 January 1985
Ordained By:Maurice Couve de Murville
Consecration:13 May 2014
Consecrated By:Bernard Longley
Birth Date:1956 9, df=yes
Birth Place:Manchester, England
Coat Of Arms:Coat of arms of Robert John Byrne.svg

Robert Byrne, C.O. (born 22 September 1956) is a prelate of the Catholic Church in England. He was the 14th Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Birmingham and the titular bishop of Cuncacestre. He is the first Oratorian to be appointed a bishop in England since 1874.

Biography

Early life

Byrne was born on 22 September 1956 in Manchester, England.[1] He was educated at St Bede's College, Manchester, a private Catholic school. He studied at King's College, London and at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome.[2]

Priesthood and Religious Life

Byrne entered the Birmingham Oratory in 1980. On 5 January 1985, he was ordained to the priesthood by Maurice Couve de Murville, the then Archbishop of Birmingham.[3] In 1990, he moved to Oxford where he founded the Oxford Oratory. From 1990 to 1999, he was Parish Priest of the Parish of St Aloysius, Oxford. From 1993 to 2011, he served as the elected Provost of Oxford Oratory.[4]

Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham

In March 2014, Pope Francis appointed him an auxiliary bishop of Archdiocese of Birmingham. As such, he became the first Oratorian to be appointed a bishop in England since 1874 when Edward Bagshawe was appointed Bishop of Nottingham.[5] On 13 May 2014, he was consecrated to the episcopate as the Titular Bishop of Cuncacestre.[6] The principal consecrator was Bernard Longley, the Archbishop of Birmingham, and the co-consecrators were Michael C. Barber SJ, the bishop of Oakland, and Philip Pargeter, his predecessor as Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham. His pastoral area within the Archdiocese of Birmingham covered six deaneries: Birmingham Cathedral, Birmingham North, Birmingham South, Birmingham East, Kidderminster, and Worcester.

Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle

On 4 February 2019, Pope Francis appointed Byrne the next Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, in succession to Séamus Cunningham. He was enthroned as the 14th bishop of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle during a Mass at St Mary's Cathedral, Newcastle on 25 March 2019.[7]

Resignation and controversy

On 12 December 2022, Pope Francis accepted his resignation from his bishopric, nine years before the normal retirement age of 75, as mandated by Catholic canon law.[8] [9] In a statement, the bishop said that the duties of his office had "become too great a burden to bear".[10] In the same month, Byrne had been reported to the police "after an allegation of abuse was made against him by a priest from another diocese to his bishop".[11]

On 22 January 2023, it was reported that the Vatican was investigating rumours of a sex party at St Mary's Cathedral.[12] As part of the investigation into the resignation of Byrne, the Church was looking into claims one of his priests invited worshippers to a party in his quarters attached to the cathedral during lockdown. The priest, Michael McCoy, dean of the cathedral, killed himself four days after finding out he was being investigated by police for child sexual abuse. In a letter seen by The Sunday Times Malcolm McMahon, archbishop of Liverpool, who is leading the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Byrne's resignation, said he has been asked by the pope’s advisers to prepare "an in-depth report into the events leading up to Bishop Byrne’s resignation".[13]

In May 2023, a summary of the report was published which included a number of findings:[14] [15]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Profile: Rt Rev Robert Byrne C.O. . CBCEW . Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales . 27 January 2017 . 20 May 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140520215648/http://www.cbcew.org.uk/CBCEW-Home/The-Bishops/Diocesan-Bishops-of-England-and-Wales/Byrne-Robert . dead .
  2. Web site: Pope appoints Fr Robert Byrne as new Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham . Catholic News . Catholic Trust for England and Wales . 27 January 2017 . 15 March 2014 . 2 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202062449/http://www.catholicnews.org.uk/bishop-elect-robert-byrne . live .
  3. Encyclopedia: David M. Cheney . Bishop Robert John Byrne, C.O. . . 12 December 2022 . 25 February 2023 . 14 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221214153923/https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbyrner.html . live .
  4. News: Pope appoints first Oratorian bishop in England for 140 years . 27 January 2017 . Catholic Herald . 15 March 2014 . 2 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202042602/http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2014/03/15/pope-appoints-first-oratorian-bishop-in-england-for-140-years/ . live .
  5. Web site: Father Robert to be made a Bishop . The Oxford Oratory . The Oxford Oratory Trust . 27 January 2017 . 15 March 2014 . 2 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202195542/http://www.oxfordoratory.org.uk/blog/post/3110-father-robert-to-be-made-a-bishop/ . live .
  6. Web site: Consecration of Bishop Robert Byrne, Cong. Orat. . The Oxford Oratory . The Oxford Oratory Trust . 27 January 2017 . 14 May 2014 . 2 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202195520/http://www.oxfordoratory.org.uk/blog/post/3243-consecration-of-bishop-robert-byrne-cong-orat/ . live .
  7. Web site: Pope Francis appoints Bishop Robert Byrne as the fourteenth Bishop of Hexham & Newcastle . Catholic News . The Catholic Church for England and Wales . 9 February 2019 . 4 February 2019 . 10 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190210100055/http://catholicnews.org.uk/apostolic-appointment-040219 . live .
  8. Rinunce e Nomine, 12.12.2022 . it . Resignations and Appointments, 12.12.2022 . 12 December 2022 . 12 December 2022 . . B0928/01940-IT.01 . 12 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221212112323/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2022/12/12/0928/01940.html . live .
  9. Web site: CanonLaw.Ninja - Search Results . 12 December 2022 . CanonLaw.Ninja . en . 12 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221212113418/https://canonlaw.ninja/?nums=401 . live .
  10. Web site: james . 12 December 2022 . Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle announces resignation . 12 December 2022 . Catholic Bishops' Conference . en-GB . 12 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221212113719/https://www.cbcew.org.uk/bishop-of-hexham-and-newcastle-announces-resignation . live .
  11. News: Caldwell . Simon . EXCLUSIVE: Bishop reported to police for abuse as Vatican probes lockdown sex parties . 27 May 2023 . Catholic Herald . 23 January 2023 . The Catholic Herald has now learned that Bishop Byrne was himself reported to the police in December after an allegation of abuse was made against him by a priest from another diocese to his bishop. Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the Papal Nuncio to Great Britain, and Archbishop McMahon were subsequently told and safeguarding agencies also informed. In a letter seen by the Catholic Herald, Archbishop McMahon wrote: “I can confirm that the police have been notified.” Neither the identity of the priest and his bishop, nor the diocese, nor the police force informed of the complaint were named in the letter..
  12. Web site: 22 January 2023 . Vatican investigating rumours of ‘sex party’ at Newcastle cathedral . 22 January 2023 . the Guardian . en . 22 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230122173353/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/22/vatican-investigating-rumours-of-sex-party-at-newcastle-cathedral . live .
  13. News: Pepinster . David Collins and Catherine . Vatican investigates ‘lockdown sex party in British cathedral’ . en . 22 January 2023 . 0140-0460 . 22 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230122020354/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/vatican-investigates-lockdown-sex-party-in-british-cathedral-8ztx7ds2g . live .
  14. Web site: Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP . Canonical Investigation Report – Executive Summary . diocesehn.org.uk . The Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle . 27 May 2023 . 3 May 2023.
  15. Web site: Bishop ignored advice about friendship with paedophile - report . BBC News . 27 May 2023 . 4 May 2023.

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