Walter A. Hurley
Encyclopedia
Walter Allison Hurley is a Canadian American prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He is the eleventh and current Bishop of Grand Rapids
.
, Canada
, to the late Charles and Anne (née Ball) Hurley. One of six children, he has four sisters, Elizabeth, Eileen, Charlene, and Annette; and one brother, Gerald. He attended St. Dunstan Grade School in Fredericton, and St. Anne High School
in Church Point
, Nova Scotia
. In 1955, he moved to the United States
, settling in Detroit
, Michigan
. He earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree from Sacred Heart Seminary
in 1961, and a Master's in Divinity
from St. John's Provincial Seminary in 1965.
to the priesthood
by Archbishop John Dearden on June 5, 1965. He then served as associate pastor
at St. Dorothy Parish in Warren
until 1969, and later Vicar
for the Warren-Centerline Vicariate from 1969 to 1972. He was pastor
of St. Cyprian Parish in Riverview
(1972-76), of Sacred Heart Parish in Roseville
(1976-1979), and of St. Lucy Parish in St. Clair Shores
(1979-1982).
Archbishop Edmund Szoka then sent Hurley to further his studies at the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
, from where he obtained a Licentiate of Canon Law
in 1984. Upon returning to the Archdiocese of Detroit
, he served as judicial vicar
of the metropolitan tribunal
(1984-1989) and moderator
of the curia
(1986-1990). In 1990, he was named pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Farmington
, and raised to the rank of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
.
In addition to his duties at Our Lady of Sorrows, Hurley served as Adam Cardinal Maida's delegate for Clergy Misconduct (1988-1995, 2002-present) and the Cardinal's delegate and project manager for the construction of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center
in Washington, D.C. (1995-2001). He also became a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
in 1994.
of Detroit and Titular Bishop
of Chunavia by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following August 12 from Cardinal Maida, with Cardinal Szoka and Bishop Walter Schoenherr serving as co-consecrators
. He selected as his episcopal motto
: "Serve With Gladness."
As an auxiliary bishop, he had responsibility for the Northwest Region of the Archdiocese, encompassing Oakland
and Lapeer Counties
.
by Pope Benedict XVI
on June 21, 2005. He succeeded the late Kevin Michael Britt
, and was installed
on August 4, 2005. As Bishop, Hurley is the spiritual leader of 176,098 Catholics in West Michigan.
Bishop Hurley has had a very controversial presence in Grand Rapids. With enrollment decreasing by over 30% at the two high schools, Catholic Central and West Catholic, and a debt of over $1,000,000, he constructed a $22 million piazza, or sidewalk, and a multi million dollar facility to home the Diocese offices across from Catholic Central. In addition, he has paid to install a heated driveway, swimming pool, and drives a donated 2011 BMW.
Because of all this, he has faced a lot of criticism from the Catholics within the diocese, questioning his plan of development.
In 2011, Hurley demolished the 100+ year old St. Andrews School, which closed in 2010, after ignoring requests from thousands to spare the historic school. Historians from the Grand Rapids area attempted to save it, but where denied when the city would not declare the building as a historic landmark, as hundreds of thousands of people walked through the halls of the century old school, which had an enrollment of less than 100 students in grades K-8 in its last year.
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 is the eleventh and current Bishop of Grand Rapids
Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in western Michigan, in the United States. It comprises 102 churches in Ottawa, Kent, Ionia, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Montcalm, Mecosta, Lake, Mason, and Osceola counties in Michigan. The diocese was created on...
.
Early life
Walter Hurley was born in Fredericton, New BrunswickNew Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, to the late Charles and Anne (née Ball) Hurley. One of six children, he has four sisters, Elizabeth, Eileen, Charlene, and Annette; and one brother, Gerald. He attended St. Dunstan Grade School in Fredericton, and St. Anne High School
Université Sainte-Anne
Université Sainte-Anne is a francophone university located in the seaside town of Pointe-de-l'Église in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the only French-language university in the province of Nova Scotia and is one of only two such universities in the Maritime Provinces, the other being the Université...
in Church Point
Church Point, Nova Scotia
Pointe-de-l'Église , is a village located on Saint Mary's Bay in the District of Clare, Digby County, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is home to Université Sainte-Anne and is known primarily for the tallest wooden church in North America, Église Sainte-Marie, which is located just north of the...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. In 1955, he moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, settling in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. He earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Sacred Heart Seminary
Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Sacred Heart Major Seminary is a Catholic institution of higher learning associated with the Archdiocese of Detroit. It is located at 2701 West Chicago Boulevard, at the western edge of the Boston-Edison Historic District in Detroit, Michigan. In 2006-2007, 93 seminarians and over 400 lay...
in 1961, and a Master's in Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
from St. John's Provincial Seminary in 1965.
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....
to 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....
by Archbishop John Dearden on June 5, 1965. He then served as associate pastor
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...
at St. Dorothy Parish in Warren
Warren, Michigan
Warren is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2010 census places the city's population at 134,056, making Warren the largest city in Macomb County, the third largest city in Michigan, and Metro Detroit's largest suburb....
until 1969, and later Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
for the Warren-Centerline Vicariate from 1969 to 1972. He was 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"....
of St. Cyprian Parish in Riverview
Riverview, Michigan
Riverview is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 12,486 at the time of the 2010 census.The city is a suburb in the Metro Detroit area, located along the shore of the Detroit River. Riverview incorporated as a village in 1922 and as a city in 1959...
(1972-76), of Sacred Heart Parish in Roseville
Roseville, Michigan
Roseville is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a part of the Metro Detroit area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 47,299...
(1976-1979), and of St. Lucy Parish in St. Clair Shores
St. Clair Shores, Michigan
St. Clair Shores is a suburban city bordering Lake St. Clair in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It forms a part of the Metro Detroit area, and is located approximately northeast of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,715. The current mayor is...
(1979-1982).
Archbishop Edmund Szoka then sent Hurley to further his studies at 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....
, from where he obtained a Licentiate of Canon Law
Licentiate of Canon Law
Licentiate of Canon Law is the title of an advanced graduate degree with canonical effects in the Roman Catholic Church offered by pontifical universities and ecclesiastical faculties of canon law...
in 1984. Upon returning to the Archdiocese of Detroit
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church covering the Michigan counties of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne...
, he served as judicial vicar
Judicial vicar
In the Roman Catholic Church, a judicial vicar is an officer of the diocese who has ordinary power to judge cases in the diocesan ecclesiastical court...
of the metropolitan tribunal
Ecclesiastical court
An ecclesiastical court is any of certain courts having jurisdiction mainly in spiritual or religious matters. In the Middle Ages in many areas of Europe these courts had much wider powers than before the development of nation states...
(1984-1989) and moderator
Moderator of the Curia
A moderator of the curia, under the authority of the bishop of a diocese in the Catholic Church, coordinates the exercise of the administrative duties and oversees those who hold offices and minister in diocesan administration. He must be a priest. The office has been variously described as...
of the curia
Curia (Roman Catholic Church)
In Roman Catholicism, a curia consists of a group of officials who assist in the governance of a particular Church. These curias range from the relatively simple diocesan curia, to the larger patriarchal curias, to the Roman Curia, which is the central government of the Catholic Church.Other...
(1986-1990). In 1990, he was named pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Farmington
Farmington, Michigan
Farmington is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of Detroit and is part of the Metro Detroit area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,372. It is fully surrounded by Farmington Hills, except for a small portion bordered by Livonia to the...
, and raised to the rank of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
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"...
.
In addition to his duties at Our Lady of Sorrows, Hurley served as Adam Cardinal Maida's delegate for Clergy Misconduct (1988-1995, 2002-present) and the Cardinal's delegate and project manager for the construction of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center
Pope John Paul II Cultural Center
The Pope John Paul II Cultural Center was established to house a Roman Catholic museum and think tank in Washington, D.C. The concept for the center began at a meeting between Pope John Paul II and then-Bishop Adam Maida in 1988. The building is set on 12 acres adjacent to The Catholic University...
in Washington, D.C. (1995-2001). He also became a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
in 1994.
Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
On July 7, 2003, 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 Detroit 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 Chunavia by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
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....
on the following August 12 from Cardinal Maida, with Cardinal Szoka and Bishop Walter Schoenherr 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...
. He selected as his episcopal motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: "Serve With Gladness."
As an auxiliary bishop, he had responsibility for the Northwest Region of the Archdiocese, encompassing Oakland
Oakland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile...
and Lapeer Counties
Lapeer County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 87,904 people, 30,729 households, and 23,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 134 people per square mile . There were 32,732 housing units at an average density of 50 per square mile...
.
Bishop of Grand Rapids
Hurley was later named the eleventh Bishop of Grand RapidsRoman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in western Michigan, in the United States. It comprises 102 churches in Ottawa, Kent, Ionia, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Montcalm, Mecosta, Lake, Mason, and Osceola counties in Michigan. The diocese was created on...
by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
on June 21, 2005. He succeeded the late Kevin Michael Britt
Kevin Michael Britt
Kevin Michael Britt was an American Roman Catholic bishop.-Biography:Born in Detroit, Michigan, Britt was ordained to the priesthood on June 28, 1970 for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit. On November 23, 1993, Britt was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Detroit Archdiocese and he was...
, and was installed
Enthronement
An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person—usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. This ritual is generally distinguished from a coronation because there is no crown or other regalia that is physically...
on August 4, 2005. As Bishop, Hurley is the spiritual leader of 176,098 Catholics in West Michigan.
Bishop Hurley has had a very controversial presence in Grand Rapids. With enrollment decreasing by over 30% at the two high schools, Catholic Central and West Catholic, and a debt of over $1,000,000, he constructed a $22 million piazza, or sidewalk, and a multi million dollar facility to home the Diocese offices across from Catholic Central. In addition, he has paid to install a heated driveway, swimming pool, and drives a donated 2011 BMW.
Because of all this, he has faced a lot of criticism from the Catholics within the diocese, questioning his plan of development.
In 2011, Hurley demolished the 100+ year old St. Andrews School, which closed in 2010, after ignoring requests from thousands to spare the historic school. Historians from the Grand Rapids area attempted to save it, but where denied when the city would not declare the building as a historic landmark, as hundreds of thousands of people walked through the halls of the century old school, which had an enrollment of less than 100 students in grades K-8 in its last year.