Our Founder

Our founder, Father Albert Shamon, had a great passion for Catholic education. Ordained a priest in the Rochester, NY diocese in 1940, he worked as the Vicar of Education under Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. He also served as a pastor, teacher, columnist, author, and radio broadcaster. Through his parish he continually raised funds to support Catholic schools. Returning to his hometown of Auburn, he set out to fulfill his dream of opening a Catholic high school. In 1992 Tyburn Academy of Mary Immaculate was founded with a handful of parents and three students. Today Tyburn exists within the walls of what was originally St. Mary’s School.  This home is well suited for Tyburn as a mosaic of the our Blessed Virgin Mary still remains on the outside of the building. Father Shamon’s vision created a legacy that continues to grow today.

Tyburn Academy is named in honor of over 100 English and Irish martyrs who gave their lives at Tyburn Crossroads, just outside Hyde Park, London in the sixteen century. The Tyburn logo depicts the scaffold at Hyde Park on which these martyrs were executed for their faith. Today the spot is marked by a circular stone in Bayswater Road running past Hyde Park. The circular stone has a cross inscribed in the center surrounded by the words: “The Site of Tyburn Tree” It was a pilgrimage to this site that prompted Father Shamon to name our school after these martyrs. He later added “of Mary Immaculate” because of his great devotion to Our Blessed Mother.