Mark Joseph Hurley
Encyclopedia
Mark Joseph Hurley was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Santa Rosa in California
from 1969 to 1986.
, one of five children of Mark Joseph and Josephine (née Keohane) Hurley. One of his brothers, Francis Thomas Hurley
, served as Bishop of Juneau
(1971-76) and Archbishop of Anchorage
(1976-2001). He received his early education at the parochial school
of St. Agnes Church in his native city. He began his studies for the priesthood
at St. Joseph's College in Mountain View
, graduating in 1939. He then completed his theological studies at St. Patrick's Seminary
in Menlo Park
.
a priest for the Archdiocese of San Francisco
on September 23, 1944. He served as assistant superintendent
of archdiocesan schools from 1944 to 1951. In addition to his duties, he studied at the University of California
for one year, and earned a doctorate in philosophy
from the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
in 1947. He served as the founding principal
of Bishop O'Dowd High School
in Oakland
from 1951 to 1958, afterwards holding the same position at Marin Catholic High School
in Kentfield
(1959-61). He was also assistant coordinator of the Archdiocesan Campaign of Taxation of Schools in California.
In 1962, Hurley was named a domestic prelate
by Pope John XXIII
and superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Stockton
. He earned a Bachelor's degree
in canon law
from the Pontifical Lateran University
in Rome
in 1963. From 1962 to 1965, he was a peritus
, or theological expert, at the Second Vatican Council
in Rome, where he served as an advisor to the commission on seminaries, universities, and schools. He also served as chancellor
of the Diocese of Stockton during the same period. Following his return to the Archdiocese of San Francisco, he served as assistant chancellor from 1965 to 1969. For several years, he was on a San Francisco television program, "Problems Please."
of San Francisco and titular bishop
of Thunusuda by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on January 4, 1968 from Archbishop Joseph Thomas McGucken
, with Bishops Hugh Aloysius Donohoe
and Ernest John Primeau
serving as co-consecrators
. His consecration was one of the first such liturgies
to be celebrated in the vernacular. As an auxiliary bishop, he continued to serve as assistance chancellor of the archdiocese.
to the Diocese of San Diego
, Hurley was named the second Bishop of Santa Rosa
on November 19, 1969. His installation took place at St. Eugene's Cathedral
on January 14, 1970. During his tenure, he implemented the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and worked to ensure the financial stability of the diocese.
He established terms of office for pastor
s and associate pastors
, opened a low-income senior residence, and created the Priests' Retirement Fund, Project Hope, and the Apostolic Endowment Fund. He founded the Centro Pastoral Hispano and re-dedicated Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Mission. He established two new parishes in his last five years as bishop, and ordained over a dozen priests and deacon
s in his last three years.
in San Francisco, at age 81.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Bishop of Santa Rosa in California
Roman Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa in California
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa in California is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States, named in honor of St. Rose of Lima. It comprises the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa and...
from 1969 to 1986.
Early life and education
Mark Hurley was born in San Francisco, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, one of five children of Mark Joseph and Josephine (née Keohane) Hurley. One of his brothers, Francis Thomas Hurley
Francis Thomas Hurley
Francis Thomas Hurley is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Anchorage from 1976 to 2001.-Biography:...
, served as Bishop of Juneau
Roman Catholic Diocese of Juneau
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Juneau is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northwestern United States, comprising the southeastern part of the state of Alaska. It is led by a prelate bishop which serves as pastor of the mother church, Cathedral of the...
(1971-76) and Archbishop of Anchorage
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Anchorage
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Anchorage is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northwestern United States, comprising several boroughs and census areas in the state of Alaska. It is led by a prelate archbishop which serves as pastor of the mother church,...
(1976-2001). He received his early education at the parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
of St. Agnes Church in his native city. He began his studies for the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
at St. Joseph's College in Mountain View
Mountain View, California
-Downtown:Mountain View has a pedestrian-friendly downtown centered on Castro Street. The downtown area consists of the seven blocks of Castro Street from the Downtown Mountain View Station transit center in the north to the intersection with El Camino Real in the south...
, graduating in 1939. He then completed his theological studies at St. Patrick's Seminary
Saint Patrick Seminary, Menlo Park
Saint Patrick's Seminary and University in Menlo Park, California is a Roman Catholic post-graduate seminary whose primary mission is the formation of clergy for Western and Pacific Rim dioceses, orders, religious congregations and secular institutes...
in Menlo Park
Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City...
.
Priesthood
Hurley was ordainedHoly Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
a priest for the Archdiocese of San Francisco
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States. It covers the City and County of San Francisco and the Counties of Marin and San Mateo...
on September 23, 1944. He served as assistant superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of archdiocesan schools from 1944 to 1951. In addition to his duties, he studied at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
for one year, and earned a doctorate in philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1947. He served as the founding principal
Head teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
of Bishop O'Dowd High School
Bishop O'Dowd High School
Bishop O'Dowd High School is a Catholic, co-educational, college preparatory school in Oakland, California, administered by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland and named for the late auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, James T. O'Dowd . About 44% of students are non-Catholic...
in Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
from 1951 to 1958, afterwards holding the same position at Marin Catholic High School
Marin Catholic High School
Marin Catholic High School is a Roman Catholic college preparatory school located in unincorporated Kentfield in Marin County, California. The school is owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco.The student population is approximately 736...
in Kentfield
Kentfield, California
Kentfield is a census-designated place in Marin County, California, United States, just north of San Francisco. Kentfield is located on the Northwestern Pacific Railroad southwest of downtown San Rafael, at an elevation of 115 feet . The population was 6,485 at the 2010 census...
(1959-61). He was also assistant coordinator of the Archdiocesan Campaign of Taxation of Schools in California.
In 1962, Hurley was named a domestic prelate
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
by Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
and superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Stockton
Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockton
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockton is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Central Valley and Mother Lode region of California in the United States. It comprises the Counties of Alpine, Calaveras, Mono, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne...
. He earned a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in canon law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
from the Pontifical Lateran University
Pontifical Lateran University
The Pontifical Lateran University is a university by pontifical right based in Rome, Italy. The university also hosts the central session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1963. From 1962 to 1965, he was a peritus
Peritus
Peritus is the title given to Roman Catholic theologians who are present to give advice at an ecumenical council. At the most recent council, the Second Vatican Council, some periti accompanied individual bishops or groups of bishops from various countries...
, or theological expert, at the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
in Rome, where he served as an advisor to the commission on seminaries, universities, and schools. He also served as chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
of the Diocese of Stockton during the same period. Following his return to the Archdiocese of San Francisco, he served as assistant chancellor from 1965 to 1969. For several years, he was on a San Francisco television program, "Problems Please."
San Francisco
On November 21, 1967, Hurley was appointed auxiliary bishopAuxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of San Francisco and titular bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Thunusuda by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
. He received his episcopal
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on January 4, 1968 from Archbishop Joseph Thomas McGucken
Joseph Thomas McGucken
Joseph Thomas McGucken was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Sacramento and Archbishop of San Francisco .-Biography:...
, with Bishops Hugh Aloysius Donohoe
Hugh Aloysius Donohoe
Hugh Aloysius Donohoe was an American Roman Catholic clergyman.Born in San Francisco, California, Donohoe was educated at St. Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park and at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 14, 1930. He then served as a...
and Ernest John Primeau
Ernest John Primeau
Ernest John Primeau was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Manchester from 1960 to 1974....
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. His consecration was one of the first such liturgies
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
to be celebrated in the vernacular. As an auxiliary bishop, he continued to serve as assistance chancellor of the archdiocese.
Santa Rosa
Following the transfer of Bishop Leo Thomas MaherLeo Thomas Maher
Leo Thomas Maher was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Santa Rosa and Bishop of San Diego .-Early life and education:...
to the Diocese of San Diego
Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego
The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the western region of the United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of San Diego and Imperial Counties in Southern California, with a Catholic population of 1,981,057...
, Hurley was named the second Bishop of Santa Rosa
Roman Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa in California
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa in California is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States, named in honor of St. Rose of Lima. It comprises the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa and...
on November 19, 1969. His installation took place at St. Eugene's Cathedral
Cathedral of Saint Eugene
Cathedral of Saint Eugene is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It is the mother church and seat of the residential bishop of the Diocese of Santa Rosa in California. It is located in the City of Santa Rosa. The parish was founded in 1950 and it became a cathedral...
on January 14, 1970. During his tenure, he implemented the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and worked to ensure the financial stability of the diocese.
He established terms of office for pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
s and associate pastors
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
, opened a low-income senior residence, and created the Priests' Retirement Fund, Project Hope, and the Apostolic Endowment Fund. He founded the Centro Pastoral Hispano and re-dedicated Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Mission. He established two new parishes in his last five years as bishop, and ordained over a dozen priests and deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
s in his last three years.
Later life and death
After governing the diocese for sixteen years, Hurley resigned as Bishop of Santa Rosa on April 15, 1986. He later died after an operation for an aneurysmAneurysm
An aneurysm or aneurism is a localized, blood-filled balloon-like bulge in the wall of a blood vessel. Aneurysms can commonly occur in arteries at the base of the brain and an aortic aneurysm occurs in the main artery carrying blood from the left ventricle of the heart...
in San Francisco, at age 81.