SPRINGFIELD – The Rev. William D. Byrne, a priest from the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, has been named as the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Springfield.

Byrne was introduced at a press conference on Oct. 14.

Byrne has had a long career as a parish priest and as a chaplain at the University of Maryland. At the press conference, he spoke of learning of his selection.

Bishop-elect Byrne will be ordained and installed as Bishop of Springfield on Dec. 14 at the Cathedral of Saint Michael the Archangel.

“On Oct. 2 I received a call from Archbishop Christophe Pierre which changed my life forever. He informed me that the Holy Father was appointing me to be the 10th Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts.   It was the feast of the Guardian Angels and my first inclination was to think that my guardian angel was asleep on the job if the Pope is making me bishop. Then I remembered that angels don’t sleep, I was receiving a profound gift, not just to be a bishop but of such a wonderful place like Western Massachusetts. I prayed then for the people and priests of this diocese. I prayed also for myself, that I too may be a gift to you,” he said.

Byrne said, “For 26 years I have loved every moment of my priesthood.” He has been most recently serving as the pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Potomac, MD.

He is a native of Washington, DC, and graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. He then studied at Pontifical North American College in Rome completing his Licentiate in Sacred Theology from Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) and was ordained in 1994.

Among his assignments as a priest, he was the chaplain for the University of Maryland’s Catholic Student Center from 1999 until 2007.

He said, “Who am I? I am a priest! For over 26 years I have loved every minute of my priesthood. In moments both heart breaking and heart-warming, I have found the most profound joy of serving our Lord in His people.  For 21 years I have been a pastor – at the University of Maryland, of St. Peter’s on Capitol Hill and recently at Our Lady of Mercy in Potomac, MD. I celebrate the women and men who work so tireless to keep our local parishes vibrant, welcoming and holy. In a special way I look forward to working with our deacons, the men and women religious, my brother priests, and in a special way our pastors in service of the people of God. I thank them all for the work they do each day.”

Byrne addressed the issue of abuse in the Catholic church during his remarks. He said, “It is an understatement to say that our Church is living in challenging times. The spiritual cancer of a systematic failure to protect our most vulnerable members, especially our children, must be
acknowledged and atoned continually. Each day we must recommit ourselves so that it will never happen again ever. I am thankful for the ongoing and important work of the Independent Task Force under the leadership of retired Judge Daniel Ford and I look forward to receiving their recommendations.  But above all, we must never forget the victims if we ever are to heal at all.”

Taking a question about the future of Catholic education in the diocese, Byrne said, “It’s premature to make any statement but I am committed to Catholic education.” He added he has taught religion to eighth-grade students.

Byrne has become well known in his former archdiocese for a series of YouTube videos he produced and hosted. His “Five Things” series covers such topics as “Advice for Guys” to “Delightful mysteries of the Rosary,” to “things I learned from my dog.”

A book based on his videos, “5 Things with Father Bill,” was released on Oct. 15 by Loyola Press. The book is described by the publisher as “a practical and engaging guide to embracing happiness,” and that it features “50 topics to enhance ordinary days and holidays with insights, reflections, and encouragement.”

Noting the challenges brought about by the pandemic, he said. “My brothers and sisters of the Diocese of Springfield we shouldn't just get back to normal, let's get back to better.“