# Edwin Byrne

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**Edwin Vincent Byrne** (August 9, 1891 – July 26, 1963) was an American [prelate](/source/Prelate) of the [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church). He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in New Mexico from 1943 to 1963. He previously served in [Puerto Rico](/source/Puerto_Rico) as bishop of the [Diocese of Ponce](/source/Diocese_of_Ponce) from 1925 to 1929 and as bishop of the [Diocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico](/source/Archdiocese_of_San_Juan_de_Puerto_Rico) from 1929 to 1943.

## Biography

### Early life

Edwin Byrne was born on August 9, 1891, in [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia,_Pennsylvania), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania), to Francis Charles and Anna (née Carroll) Byrne.[1] After graduating from [Roman Catholic High School for Boys](/source/Roman_Catholic_High_School_for_Boys) in Philadelphia in 1908, he studied at [St. Charles Borromeo Seminary](/source/St._Charles_Borromeo_Seminary) in Philadelphia.[1]

### Priesthood

Byrne was [ordained](/source/Holy_orders_in_the_Catholic_Church) to the [priesthood](/source/Priesthood_(Catholic_Church)) for the [Archdiocese of Philadelphia](/source/Archdiocese_of_Philadelphia) at the [Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul](/source/Cathedral_Basilica_of_Saints_Peter_and_Paul_(Philadelphia)) in Philadelphia by Archbishop [Edmond Francis Prendergast](/source/Edmond_Francis_Prendergast) on May 22, 1915.[2] After his ordination, the archdiocese assigned Byrne as a [curate](/source/Curate) at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Philadelphia. After the American entry into [World War I](/source/World_War_I) in April 1917, he enlisted in the [US Navy Chaplain Corps](/source/United_States_Navy_Chaplain_Corps).[1]

In 1920, Byrne traveled to the [Philippines](/source/Philippines) to serve as secretary. From 1920 to 1923, he was [secretary](/source/Secretary) to Bishop James McCloskey of the [Diocese of Jaro](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Jaro). McCloskey named Byrne as [vicar general](/source/Vicar_general) of Jaro in 1923.[1]

### Bishop of Ponce

On June 23, 1925, Byrne was appointed the first [bishop](/source/Ordinary_(Catholic_Church)) of Ponce by [Pope Pius XI](/source/Pope_Pius_XI). He received his [episcopal](/source/Bishop_(Catholic_Church)) [consecration](/source/Consecration) on November 30, 1925, at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul from Cardinal [Dennis Joseph Dougherty](/source/Dennis_Joseph_Dougherty), with Bishop [John Joseph Swint](/source/John_Joseph_Swint) and Bishop [Andrew James Louis Brennan](/source/Andrew_James_Louis_Brennan) serving as [co-consecrators](/source/Consecrator).[2]

### Bishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico

Pius XI appointed Byrne as bishop of San Juan on March 8, 1929.[2] The Vatican in 1940 elevated him to the rank of [assistant at the Pontifical Throne](/source/Assistant_at_the_Pontifical_Throne).[1]

### Archbishop of Santa Fe

Byrne was appointed the eighth archbishop of Santa Fe by [Pope Pius XII](/source/Pope_Pius_XII) on June 12, 1943.[2] During his 20-year-long tenure, he was instrumental in the construction of many churches and schools, and built up the diocesan clergy.[3] In 1958, his decree that no Catholic girl should appear in a bathing suit in the [Miss New Mexico](/source/Miss_New_Mexico) pageant received national attention and stirred controversy; he never rescinded the ban.[4][5] He condemned a "right to work" bill being considered in the [New Mexico Legislature](/source/New_Mexico_Legislature).[3] Byrne also prohibited Catholic students from dating while attending high school, describing "[going steady](/source/Going_steady), keeping steady company, necking and kissing" as "pagan" practices.[6] Byrne attended the first session of the [Second Vatican Council](/source/Second_Vatican_Council) in Rome in 1962.[3]

### Death

Byrne suffered a [gallbladder](/source/Gallbladder) attack on July 21, 1963, and was admitted to St. Vincent Hospital in Santa Fe two days later.[3] He underwent [surgery](/source/Surgery) for gallbladder removal on July 26, 1963, dying later that day. He was buried at [Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi](/source/Cathedral_Basilica_of_Saint_Francis_of_Assisi) in Santa Fe.[3][2]

## References

1. Curtis, Georgina Pell (1961). *The American Catholic Who's Who*. Vol. XIV. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.

1. ["Archbishop Edwin Vincent Byrne \[Catholic-Hierarchy\]"](https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbyrnee.html). *www.catholic-hierarchy.org*. Retrieved 2025-12-19.

1. "Archbishop Edwin V. Byrne, 71, Of Santa Fe Diocese Is Dead". *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. 1963-07-27.

1. ["Archbishop v. Redhead"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110201055937/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,892783,00.html). *[Time](/source/Time_(magazine))*. 1959-07-20. Archived from [the original](http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,892783,00.html) on February 1, 2011.

1. ["The Bathing-Suit Issue"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110201055522/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,864774,00.html). *Time*. 1959-07-27. Archived from [the original](http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,864774,00.html) on February 1, 2011.

1. ["The Way to Dishonor"](https://web.archive.org/web/20111101031413/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,937962,00.html). *Time*. 1957-10-21. Archived from [the original](http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,937962,00.html) on November 1, 2011.

## External links and additional sources

- Cheney, David M. ["Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico"](http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dsjpr.html). *[Catholic-Hierarchy.org](/source/Catholic-Hierarchy.org)*. Retrieved June 14, 2018. (for Chronology of Bishops) [*self-published*]
- Chow, Gabriel. ["Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico"](http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/zjua1.htm). *GCatholic.org*. Retrieved June 14, 2018. (for Chronology of Bishops) [*self-published*]

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Edwin Byrne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Byrne) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Byrne?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.