James Whyte | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 October 1868 Kilkenny  Ireland |
| Died | 26 December 1957 Dunedin  New Zealand |
James Whyte (1868–1957) was the third Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunedin (1920-1957).
James Whyte | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 October 1868 Kilkenny Ireland |
| Died | 26 December 1957 Dunedin New Zealand |
James Whyte (1868–1957) was the third Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunedin (1920-1957).
Whyte was born in Kilkenny, Ireland on 12 October 1868. [1] He spent six years (from 1886-1892) in ecclesiastical training for the priesthood at St Kieran's College, Kilkenny.[1] He was ordained a priest in Kilkenny on 3 July 1892.[1]
Whyte went to Sydney in 1892 and was appointed a professor at St Patrick's College, Manly.[1] The rector there at the time was Dr Michael Verdon, later second Bishop of Dunedin. Among Whyte's students were Bishop Brodie of Christchurch and James Michael Liston later Bishop of Auckland.[2] 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 Dorector of the Catholic Press. He was also the first resident priest of Stanmore.[1]
In 1920 Whyte was appointed Bishop of Dunedin and on December 12 of that year he was consecratedin St. Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin with James Michael Liston who had been appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Auckland.[2] 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 and 14 new parishes were added 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 nuns, the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny and the Sisters of the Assumption.[2] 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.
He died on 27 December 1955 of a coronary attack at the age of 57 years.[2] His body lay in state at St Joseph's Cathedral until a solemn requiem mass was celebrated on 30 December 1955, attended by all the hierarchy of New Zealand, and a large concourse of clergy and laity[2]