By Ana Rodriguez Soto - The Archdiocese of Miami

 This story was updated as additional information was obtained.

MIAMI | Msgr. Edmond Whyte left much of his legacy in brick and mortar: He built three church buildings, one at each of the parishes he shepherded. He also oversaw early construction on two school buildings.

The Irish-born priest died Jan. 23 after a years-long battle with cancer. He would have turned 78 on Jan. 29, and had been a priest for 51 years. He had served as pastor of St. Mark Church in Southwest Ranches since 1996.

“While we have been praying for his health for several years now, we are still surprised and at loss,” said Liz Lantigua, who arrived at St. Mark around the same time as Msgr. Whyte. “We felt he was going to bounce back like he always does. We are all praying for him and his family.”

A shy, reserved man, Msgr. Whyte was born Jan. 29, 1938 in Lixnaw, Ireland. He studied at St. Patrick’s College in Carlow and was ordained there June 6, 1964, for service in the Archdiocese of Miami. He arrived in South Florida in August of 1964.

His first assignment was as parochial vicar at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Fort Lauderdale. In 1967, he was named parochial vicar at St. Brendan in Miami.

Three years later, in 1970, he took over as administrator of the newly created parish of St. Justin Martyr in Key Largo. The first Masses were celebrated at the Key Largo Civic Club, but by the time he left in May 1974, the parish had its first permanent building, with offices and living space for the priests.

Msgr. Whyte was then named pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes in Miami Lakes, where he served until 1996. In 1984, the parish dedicated its permanent church, and the school opened in 1987. He oversaw the construction of its first two buildings.

After being named to St. Mark in 1996, he oversaw the construction of the church and the buildings next door: Archbishop Edward McCarthy High School, where he also served simultaneously as supervising principal from its founding in 1996 until 2004.

In January 2013, he received the title of monsignor from Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. The intensely shy Msgr. Whyte seemed almost embarrassed by the honor, and the pomp and circumstance of the ceremony that went along with it.

“He’s so shy. He’s so embarrassed about this,” said one of Msgr. Whyte’s longtime parishioners, Mary Gail Buzzella at the time. “He would rather just get the phone call and not do this.”

Buzzella had known Msgr. Whyte for more than 40 years, as a parishioner both at Our Lady of the Lakes and St. Mark.

“We have been with him through new parishes. We’ve watched him raise them up into a living, thriving community of Catholics twice. We just love him,” she said then. “We appreciate how humble and devoted he is as a priest and a friend.”

Mike Smith, a member of St. Mark’s since 1992, got to know Msgr. Whyte after joining the parish men’s club 18 years ago. He served on the parish council, the finance council and more recently helped out with fundraising.

“In addition to being an excellent spiritual leader, he was also a consummate business man,” Smith said of his pastor. “He was well recognized by the archdiocese not only as a leader of men but also a builder of churches. He had a way of getting things done.”

Smith pointed out that St. Mark, with around 5,800 registered families, is “basically a $5 million business that has to be run. (Msgr. Whyte) had the responsibility to run a very big business that also had a lot of debt. He did an excellent job to make sure that all of those obligations were met.”

Shirley Sandusky worked with Msgr. Whyte every day for 20 years until this past June, when she retired as principal of St. Mark School. She also visited him daily during the final weeks of his illness.

“He was a very prayerful, priestly, man of God. Very caring. They just don’t make them like that anymore,” Sandusky said. “He loved, loved, loved the kids at the school; was at the car line every day until he got really sick � rain, cold, it didn’t matter."

“I learned an awful lot from him,” she added. “I learned to be tougher than I ever thought I could be, and always fair. And he always said there would be no child to leave St. Mark Catholic School because he couldn’t afford to be here. Our school is Catholic first.”

Juan Jimenez, another longtime parishioner, recalled Msgr. Whyte’s “uncommon spirituality and work ethic towards evangelizing and serving Jesus.” He added, “We hope to continue the legacy he so lovingly started at St. Mark. We will forever miss him.”

Aside from siblings, nieces, nephews and other relatives in Ireland, Msgr. Whyte is survived by a sister, Margaret “Peggy” Kenny, who lives in Sunrise; two nephews, Eddie Kenny, of the Tampa Bay area, and Kevin Kenny, of Key West; and their children.

The viewing will take place Wednesday, Jan. 27, beginning at 3 p.m. at St. Mark Church, 5601 South Flamingo Road, Southwest Ranches, followed by a prayer service at 7 p.m.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski will preside at the funeral Mass Thursday, Jan. 28, at 11 a.m. at St. Mark. It will be followed by a reception in the parish center.

Msgr. Whyte will be buried in Ireland. He requested that donations in his memory be made to St. Mark Catholic School, 5601 South Flamingo Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33330.