This scholarship was created by former Pius X Superintendent, Father Liam Barr, now Monsignor, in memory of his parents Liam and Lorraine.

Liam (William) Barr was born in Moville, County Donegal, Ireland in 1920. He was the second born of 13 children to Harry and Minnie Barr. The Barr family grew up in Moville as their parents owned and operated a local tailor shop. All of the Barr children received a Catholic education in Moville.

Lorraine (Finlan) Barr was born in Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland in 1925. She was the eldest of five children born to Michael and Margaret Finlan. The Finlans owned and operated a small grocery store and bar in Ballina where their children were raised. The Finlan children all received a Catholic education in and around Ballina.

Liam met Lorraine during the tumultuous times of World War II and they were married soon after the war ended in January 1946. Both Liam and Lorraine were deeply faithful people, loving their Catholic heritage and dedicated to raising their children in a loving and spiritual Catholic home. They had five children including Harry, Liam, Deirdre, David and Declan. Their faith and family helped them endure the loss of Harry at the age of three.

In the late 1960s, the Barr family left Ireland to live in England, just outside London. During that time, their eldest living son, Liam, received his call to the Priesthood vocation and he entered the seminary in Ireland. In England, where Catholic education was far less readily available than in Ireland, Liam and Lorraine were determined to ensure that Deirdre, David and Declan all received the best in Catholic education with Deirdre attending St. Bernadette’s, David attending St. Joseph’s and Declan attending St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s, all in and around the London area.

Liam Jr. was ordained to the priesthood in Lincoln, Neb. in April 1974 and was assigned to the Cathedral of the Risen Christ Parish in Lincoln. This was also the beginning of his long association with Catholic education in the Lincoln Diocese. For the next 20 years, Father Barr was assigned to Catholic schools in Wahoo, Nebraska City, and as Superintendent of Pius X High School in Lincoln for 13 years.

In 1982, the remainder of the Barr family emigrated from London to join Father Barr and Deirdre in Nebraska. Liam and Lorraine were extremely proud of their son’s work in Catholic education and were supportive of the idea that ALL children who wanted to receive a Catholic education should have the opportunity to do so.

Liam passed away in December 1982 and Lorraine passed away in June 1995. A fund was established as the Liam and Lorraine Barr Scholarship Fund, now the Liam and Lorraine Barr Memorial Scholarship, to support children wanting to attend Pius X, and to remind the Pius X community and scholarship recipients of these dedicated, devout and loving individuals and their desire to see Catholic education available to all.