To those whose association with Ampleforth has been for but a short period the importance of the part played in its life by Fr Ambrose Byrne may not be obvious. To one who, as boy and monk has known Ampleforth life for fifty years that part demands the description 'great'. Not only was his work for the School great, but equally great was his discharge of the duties of parish priest in those of the Abbey's missions to which he was sent. All good priests have as their prime motive in life the extension of God's Kingdom, but naturally they have secondary motives as well, in the direction of their activities. Second only to his zeal for the souls of them that are committed to the pastoral care of the English Benedictines was Fr Ambrose's devotion to the interests of his Abbey in the academic field.
He came to Ampleforth from Co. Wicklow, of a family proud of long associations with Glendalough. Prior Burge, noting his studious, hard-working habits (how hard-working he was!), chose him to be one of the pioneers of the new house at Oxford. So soon as it was permitted to Catholics to return to the ancient English Universities, Prior Burge had determined that Ampleforth should have masters equipped with that English form of scholarship which is essential if their pupils are to be accepted in after life as equals with those of the great public schools. The pioneers chosen by Prior Burge for this bold venture were Fr Edmund Matthews and two boys fresh from the completion of their school course and postulants for the order who normally would have gone to Belmont. Prior Parker, still happily vigorous, was one of these boys and Andrew William Byrne was the other. This is not the place to tell of the early history of the new foundation, but one can advert to the audacity and vision of Prior Burge and to his confidence in the little group chosen to be the prime instruments of his far-reaching scheme. We know now how well-justified that confidence was, but one trembles to think of what would have happened if the little band had broken under the strain or had failed to stay the course. The writer first met him when, having completed his novitiate Fr Ambrose joined the School Staff under Fr Edmund Matthews. This would be about 1904 and I well remember the strong inspiration he supplied to us as a class master. Looking back, I see what a hard task his must have been. At that time the College was going through rather a poor patch. We boys of the Upper School were not particularly intelligent and certainly we were not industrious; perhaps we had not been very well taught. All this was put right by the new head master during the next few years. Foremost amongst his helpers was Fr Ambrose Byrne.
When, in 1909, I returned as a monk from Belmont I found the College different in many ways from the Ampleforth I had left. The School was moving. There was talk of a Preparatory School. The industry of the boys and their attainments had improved. The ambition for greater successes was in the air. I found a devoted striving academic community led by three enthusiastic spirits, Fr Ambrose, Fr Placid, Fr Paul with the head master Fr Edmund fostering and guiding their enthusiasms. For the next four years I was at what is now 'Our Hall' in Oxford, amongst the wonders and joys of that venerable place. Ampleforth was but an interlude between terms. But as a looker-on, perhaps I saw more than the players. It was during this period that for a short period Fr Ambrose served in an executive capacity as Prefect. His high ideals and, possibly, an over-estimation of the values in the material he had to deal with developed in him, I think, a certain fussiness and sense of frustration. Then came the 1914-18 war during which he served as a Chaplain to the Forces. I never heard him speak much of his military experiences but he did rejoice exceedingly in the many holy deaths at which he had ministered. His army experience was of great value to him. It gave him a broader and more sympathetic outlook. After the war came a few years at St Alban's Warrington, where, under the gentle and cultured Fr Cuthbert Almond he learnt the rudiments of parish life. Then he was put in charge of our Parish of St Mary of the Angels in Cardiff. The beautiful church had been completed and largely paid for by the late Canon Elphege Duggan but the School position was appalling. In spite of incredible difficulties he cleared this up; a fine modern school was built. But activity in school matters (he was the official representative for the Diocese in Cardiff) was only one side of his pastoral life. He secured a very full Catholic life for his parishioners. He was an excellent preacher - always had something worth saying, and he said it well. As a business manager he was amazing. He embellished the church, enlarged the Priory, and yet he saved money! The demands made by his restless energy on his constitution and the terrible experiences of the air raids impaired his health. So he was moved to the quiet country parish of Parbold in Lancs, and later to the historic parish of Brownedge in the same county. There he infused new life into every department of its activities and succeeded in making the provisions necessary for beginning the task of school extension. In spite of failing health he worked on indefatigably to within a week or so of his death. He will long be remembered by many as a charming companion, talking with wisdom and at times with brilliance on literature and current events. To many of us he was more than companion: he was a kind sympathetic friend, generous and self-sacrificing. That his brethren appreciated his worth is testified to by the fact that for over thirty years he was elected annually to serve on the abbot's council, and that for over fifteen years he held office as one of the officials of the English Benedictine Congregation.
After some months of obviously failing health Fr Ambrose became seriously ill on the ninth of February and died eight days later.
WILLIAM AMBROSE BYRNE 17 February 1950
1879 31 Oct Born Rockferry Cheshire
1891-97 Educ Ampleforth
1901 9 Oct Habit
1902 10 Oct Simple Vows Belmont Prior Cummins
1897- to 1901 Studies Lit Hum at Oxford
1905 3 Apr Minor Orders Ampleforth Bishop Lacy
1906 6 Jan Solemn Vows Ampleforth Abbot Smith
25 Mar Subdeacon Ampleforth Bishop Lacy
1907 26 May Deacon Ampleforth
1908 25 Mar Priest Ampleforth Bishop Lacy
1907 Sep Ceased being 2nd Prefect (date of appointment uncertain)
1911-12 Assistant at Ampleforth Village
1912 Jul 1st Prefect & remained so until Feb 1916
1916 Mar Military Chaplain in France
1919 Dec Assistant at St Alban's Warrington
1922 Jan Parish Priest at Canton Cardiff
1934 Nov While there, appointed Inspector Rei Familiaris to the EBC
1941 9 Sep Parish Priest at St Mary's Brownedge
1950 17 Feb Died at Brownedge
Buried at Brownedge