James Whyte (bishop)
Encyclopedia
James Whyte was the third Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunedin
(1920–1957).
, Ireland
in 1868. He spent six years (from 1886–1892) in ecclesiastical training for the priesthood at St Kieran's College
, Kilkenny. He was ordained a priest in Kilkenny on 3 July 1892.
in 1892 and was appointed a professor at St Patrick's College, Manly. The rector there at the time was Dr Michael Verdon
, later second Bishop of Dunedin. Among Whyte's students were Matthew Brodie
later second Bishop of Christchurch and James Michael Liston
later seventh Bishop of Auckland.
After leaving that position he was assistant priest at St Benedict's Church and at St Mary's Cathedral
. In Sydney, he also held the positions of Archdiocesan Inspector of Schools, Chancellor
of the Sydney archdiocese and Director of the Catholic Press. He was also the first resident priest of Stanmore
. Whyte was very learned and he spoke three foreign languages, French, German and Italian.
in St. Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin with James Michael Liston
who had been appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Auckland
. During Whyte's episcopate the number of priests in the diocese doubled from 40 to 81; there was a similar increase in the children attending Catholic schools, from 3060 to 6120. In 1927 he founded St. Kevin's College, Oamaru
. He added 14 new parishes to the 22 existing in 1920. Religious orders commencing work in the Dunedin diocese over the same period were the Vincentians (who took over Holy Cross seminary
in 1934), the Dominican Fathers, the Redemptorist Fathers, the Presentation Sisters
, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny
and the Sisters of the Assumption.
Whyte was chairman of directors of the New Zealand Tablet Company for many years and was active in promoting the cause of the Catholic press in New Zealand. On 18 December 1941 Whyte suffered a stroke and was taken to the Mater Misericordiae Hospital where he remained for the last 16 years of his life. In July 1942 the golden jubilee of Whyte's ordination was celebrated bringing visitors from all parts of New Zealand. The jubilee Mass was celebrated by Archbishop O'Shea
and at the jubilee dinner an ode written by the New Zealand poet Eileen Duggan was read out.
Whyte celebrated his diamond jubilee in 1952, while his silver jubilee as a bishop was marked in December, 1945, by ceremonies of an entirely religious nature. In January 1943 Hugh John O'Neill
was appointed as Coadjutor Bishop of Dunedin, but ill health forced his resignation in 1946. In 1949 John Patrick Kavanagh
was appointed as Apostolic Administrator
"sede plena" and coadjutor with the right of succession.
. He was buried in the Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Dunedin
The Latin Rite Catholic Diocese of Dunedin is a suffragan diocese of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington. It was formed on 26 November 1869 from a portion of the territory in the Diocese of Wellington, before it was elevated to an archdiocese....
(1920–1957).
Early life
Whyte was born in County KilkennyCounty Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1868. He spent six years (from 1886–1892) in ecclesiastical training for the priesthood at St Kieran's College
St Kieran's College
St. Kieran's College, Kilkenny, Ireland is primarily a Secondary school for boys. It has long been a nursery for hurling, and is located on College Road in Kilkenny in County Kilkenny, Ireland.- History :...
, Kilkenny. He was ordained a priest in Kilkenny on 3 July 1892.
Career
Whyte went to SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1892 and was appointed a professor at St Patrick's College, Manly. The rector there at the time was Dr Michael Verdon
Michael Verdon
Michael Verdon was the 2nd Catholic Bishop of Dunedin .-Early life:Verdon was born in Liverpool, England on 19 December 1838 His father came from County Louth, Ireland and his mother came from County Kildare. He was a nephew of Cardinal Cullen, Archbishop of Dublin, and a first cousin of Cardinal...
, later second Bishop of Dunedin. Among Whyte's students were Matthew Brodie
Matthew Brodie
Matthew Joseph Brodie was the second Catholic bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand. He was appointed by Pope Benedict XV on 27 November 1915 and died in office on 11 October 1943. He was the first New Zealander by birth to be made a Catholic bishop...
later second Bishop of Christchurch and James Michael Liston
James Michael Liston
James Michael Liston, CMG was the Seventh Catholic Bishop of Auckland.-Early life:James Michael Liston was born in Dunedin on 9 June 1881, one of a family of five children of James Liston, a hotel-keeper, and his wife, Mary . His parents were both born in Ireland. He was educated at Kavanagh...
later seventh Bishop of Auckland.
After leaving that position he was assistant priest at St Benedict's Church and at St Mary's Cathedral
St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
The Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell. The cathedral is dedicated to "Mary, Help of Christians", Patron of Australia...
. In Sydney, he also held the positions of Archdiocesan Inspector of Schools, Chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of the Sydney archdiocese and Director of the Catholic Press. He was also the first resident priest of Stanmore
Stanmore, New South Wales
Stanmore is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia. Stanmore is located 6 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Marrickville Council.-History:...
. Whyte was very learned and he spoke three foreign languages, French, German and Italian.
Episcopate
In 1920 Whyte was appointed Bishop of Dunedin and on December 12 of that year he was consecrated by Archbishop RedwoodFrancis Redwood
Francis William Mary Redwood SM , was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Wellington, Metropolitan of New Zealand.Redwood was born on 8 April 1839 on the Tixall estate, Staffordshire, England. In 1842 he sailed to New Zealand with his parents on the George Fyfe...
in St. Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin with James Michael Liston
James Michael Liston
James Michael Liston, CMG was the Seventh Catholic Bishop of Auckland.-Early life:James Michael Liston was born in Dunedin on 9 June 1881, one of a family of five children of James Liston, a hotel-keeper, and his wife, Mary . His parents were both born in Ireland. He was educated at Kavanagh...
who had been appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. During Whyte's episcopate the number of priests in the diocese doubled from 40 to 81; there was a similar increase in the children attending Catholic schools, from 3060 to 6120. In 1927 he founded St. Kevin's College, Oamaru
St. Kevin's College, Oamaru
St Kevin's College in Oamaru, New Zealand was founded in 1927. It is a Catholic school run by the Christian Brothers and Dominican Sisters for boaders and day students...
. He added 14 new parishes to the 22 existing in 1920. Religious orders commencing work in the Dunedin diocese over the same period were the Vincentians (who took over Holy Cross seminary
Holy Cross College
Holy Cross College may refer to:*Holy Cross College , Bangladesh*Holy Cross College , in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States*Holy Cross College , Western Province, Sri Lanka*Holy Cross College...
in 1934), the Dominican Fathers, the Redemptorist Fathers, the Presentation Sisters
Presentation Sisters
The Presentation Sisters, also known as the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary are an order of Roman Catholic women founded in Cork, Ireland by Nano Nagle in 1775....
, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny
Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1807. Located around the world, its members perform a variety of charitable works, but they devote themselves especially to missionary work and providing education for the poor....
and the Sisters of the Assumption.
Whyte was chairman of directors of the New Zealand Tablet Company for many years and was active in promoting the cause of the Catholic press in New Zealand. On 18 December 1941 Whyte suffered a stroke and was taken to the Mater Misericordiae Hospital where he remained for the last 16 years of his life. In July 1942 the golden jubilee of Whyte's ordination was celebrated bringing visitors from all parts of New Zealand. The jubilee Mass was celebrated by Archbishop O'Shea
Thomas O'Shea (Archbishop)
Thomas O'Shea, SM was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Wellington, Metropolitan of New Zealand.He was born at San Francisco, California on 13 March 1870, the son of Edmond O'Shea, a miner, and his wife, Johanna Sullivan, both Irish-born, who had emigrated from Charleston, New Zealand. The family...
and at the jubilee dinner an ode written by the New Zealand poet Eileen Duggan was read out.
Whyte celebrated his diamond jubilee in 1952, while his silver jubilee as a bishop was marked in December, 1945, by ceremonies of an entirely religious nature. In January 1943 Hugh John O'Neill
Hugh John O'Neill
Hugh John O'Neill was the Roman Catholic coadjutor Bishop of Dunedin .-Early life:O'Neill was born in Dunedin on 29 June 1898, the son of Edward and Elizabeth O'Neill. The family moved to Mosgiel a few years later. He was educated by the Sisters of Mercy in Mosgiel and at the Christian Brothers...
was appointed as Coadjutor Bishop of Dunedin, but ill health forced his resignation in 1946. In 1949 John Patrick Kavanagh
John Patrick Kavanagh
John Patrick Kavanagh was the Fourth Catholic Bishop of Dunedin .-References:* , from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 1-Sep-10...
was appointed as Apostolic Administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
"sede plena" and coadjutor with the right of succession.
Death
Whyte died on 26 December 1957, aged 89 year. He had been a priest for 65 years and a bishop for 37 years. His body lay in state at St Joseph's Cathedral until a solemn requiem Mass was celebrated on 30 December 1957, attended by all the hierarchy of New Zealand, and a large concourse of clergy and laity. His pall-bearers were six Christian BrothersCongregation of Christian Brothers in New Zealand
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a Catholic religious order which has been established in New Zealand since 1876. The order's particular charism is the education of boys and in New Zealand the order has been responsible for eight schools and has launched other educational...
. He was buried in the Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.