Edward Barron

A missionary, born at Waterford, Ireland, 1801; died at Savannah, Georgia, U.S.A. 12 Sept., 1854. His ecclesiastical studies were made at the Propaganda College, Rome, where he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity. Several years were then spent in Ireland, after which he volunteered for the missions in the United States attaching himself to the Diocese of Philadelphia, where he became in time pastor of St. Mary’s Church, Philadelphia, president of St. Charles Borromeo’s Theological Seminary, and then vicar-general of the diocese. When in 1840 the Holy See requested the American bishops to care for the negro Catholics of Liberia, Africa, he offered his services with those of the Rev. John Kelly of New York, and left Baltimore, 21 Dec., 1841, for Cape Mesurado. The work there was successful at first, and so Barron returned to Europe and the United States for more help. While in Rome he was consecrated, 22 Jan., 1842, titular Bishop of Constantia and Vicar Apostolic of the two Guineas. He returned to Africa, 30 Nov., 1843, with several missionaries of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and continued his labours in the mission until 1845, when he was forced by fever he bad contracted to resign his vicariate and to return to the United States. Here, as far as his impaired health allowed, he again took up the duties of a missionary priest and assisted in the work of the episcopate in Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Florida. He died of yellow fever at Savannah while helping the bishop of that see during an epidemic. (See LIBERIA.)