About Father Patrick Byrne, SVD

Secretary General of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood Association

Father Patrick John Byrne was born on June 11, 1950 in Curragh Camp, in County Kildare, Ireland.

After entering the Divine Word Society in 1967, he made his first vows in 1969 and his perpetual vows in 1973.

He studied philosophy in Roscommon, Ireland, and theology at the Missionary Institute, London. He was ordained a priest in 1974 in Shannon, Ireland.

After his ordination, he spent a period of time as a missionary in Ghana, in preparation for his position as vocational promoter in Great Britain.

In 1977 he was appointed "admonitor" of the Provincial Council of the British region.

In 1982 he was sent to Ecuador, and in 1986 he was elected Provincial Counselor of Ecuador; in 1989 he was re-elected as Counselor and named Vice-Provincial of Ecuador.

In 1990 he was appointed to be the National Director of the Pontifical Missionary Societies in Ecuador.

In 1999 he was appointed Secretary General of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood and was transferred to Rome.