Denis Hurley (bishop): Difference between revisions

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Introduction

This article starts off with an overview of Hurley's life and then in the sections following discusses various aspects of his life in more detail.

Biographical Information

Denis Eugene Hurley was born in Cape Town on 9th November 1915, spending his early years on Robben Island where his father was the lighthouse keeper. He joined the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1931 and in the following year was sent to Ireland for his novitiate. In 1933, he was sent to the Angelicum University (now known as Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome to study philosophy and theology. He received the degree Licentiate of Philosophy from the Angelicum in 1936 and started studying at the Gregorian University.

Hurley was ordained as a priest in Rome on 9th July 1939 and was awarded his license in Theology in 1940. Thereafter, he was appointed curate at Emmanuel Cathedral in Durban where he stayed until 1943 when he was appointed Superior at Saint Joseph's Scholasticate then based in Prestbury, Pietermaritzburg. He stayed in this position until 12th December 1946 when was named Vicar Apostolic of Natal and made a Bishop. He was the youngest Bishop in the world at that time. He chose as his motto Ubi Spiritus, ibi libertas which means "Where the Spirit is, there is liberty". On 11th January 1951, the Vicariate Apostolic of Natal was elevated to the Archdiocese of Durban and Hurley became Archbishop, again the youngest in the world at that time.

In the following year, Hurley became President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, a post he held until 1961. He was again President of this body from 1981 until 1987. In 1961, he was appointed to the Central Preparatory Commission for the Second Vatican Council.

Hurley and the Second Vatican Council

In 1961, the Archbishop was appointed to the Central Preparatory Commission for the Second Vatican Council. He attributed this to the fact that Rome had out of date information stating he was still President of the Southern African Bishops Conference, when in fact it was Archbishop Owen McCann who was President. It seems likely though that the quality of his initial suggestions or vota may have been the reason for his appointment to the commission.

At the council itself, Hurley was elected to Commission for Seminaries, Studies and Catholic Education. During the council he gave ten speeches and made four written submissions.

Hurley and the ICEL

In 1975, Archbishop Hurley was elected chair of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), a post to which he was reelected until 1991.

Hurley and Social Justice

Hurley was an outspoken opponent of apartheid and in 1984 was charged with contravenening the South African police act by publishing incorrect information about atrocities committed in Namibia by the South African military unit known as Koevoet. The state however withdrew the charges and in a claim by the Archbishop for damages, settled the claim out of court, paying him R 25,000. Currin states in Denis Hurley A Portrait by Friends that at that point the state was desparate to avoid a court hearing, implying the validity of Hurley's allegation of atrocities.

Honours

Archbishop Denis Hurley received the following honours during his life:

Year	Honorary Degrees	Civilian Honour
1970	Doctor of Laws, Notre Dame University, Indiana
1972		Civic Honours, City of Durban
1975		Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (Legion d'Honneur) France
1978	Doctor of Laws, University of Natal, Durban
1982	Doctor of Humane Letters, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC
1986	Doctor of Laws, De Paul University, Chicago
1986	Doctor of Sacred Theology, Santa Clara University, California
1987	Doctor of Humane Letters, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
1988	Doctor of Social Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town
1988	Doctorate, University of Leuven, Belgium
1992		Freedom of the City of Durban
1992		Freedom of the City of Pietermaritzburg
1993	Doctorate, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago
1996	Doctorate, Saint Paul's University, Ottowa
1992		Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Onorificenza de Grande Ufficiale)
1992		Order of Meritorious Service (1st Class), South Africa

Sources

ed. A. Gamley, Denis Hurley A Portrait by Friends (Cluster Publications, 2001). ISBN 187505329-8
ed. P. Denis O.P Facing the Crisis Selected Texts of Archbishop D.E. Hurley (Cluster Publications, 1997). ISBN 1-875053-08-5

External links

http://ncronline.org/mainpage/specialdocuments/hurley.htm An Appreciation of Denis Hurley
http://www.thesoutherncross.co.za/features/hurleytribute.htm Archbishop Denis Hurley Remembered
http://www.thesoutherncross.co.za/editorials2001/editorial010801.htm Archbishop Hurley: A great man's 50 years
http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/pfw022004.htm Contains an obituary of Denis Hurley
http://www.vatican2andbutler.org/symp/hurley.htm Council Reminscenses is a talk by Denis Hurley
http://www.thesoutherncross.co.za/vatican_II/Index.htm A series of articles by Archbishop Hurley covering Vatican II

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 ==Biographical Information==
-Denis Eugene Hurley was born on [[Robben Island]] where his father was the lighthouse keeper on 9th November 1915. He joined the [[Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate]] in 1931 and in the following year was sent to Ireland for his novitiate. In 1933, he was sent to the [[Angelicum|Angelicum University]] (now known as [[Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas]] in [[Rome]] to study [[philosophy]] and [[theology]]. He received the degree Licentiate of Philosophy from the [[Angelicum]] in 1936 and started studying at the [[Pontifical Gregorian University|Gregorian University]].
+Denis Eugene Hurley was born in [[Cape Town]] on 9th November 1915, spending his early years on
+[[Robben Island]] where his father was the lighthouse keeper. He joined the [[Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate]] in 1931 and in the following year was sent to Ireland for his novitiate. In 1933, he was sent to the [[Angelicum|Angelicum University]] (now known as [[Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas]] in [[Rome]] to study [[philosophy]] and [[theology]]. He received the degree Licentiate of Philosophy from the [[Angelicum]] in 1936 and started studying at the [[Pontifical Gregorian University|Gregorian University]].
 Hurley was ordained as a priest in Rome on 9th July 1939 and was awarded his license in Theology in 1940. Thereafter, he was appointed curate at Emmanuel Cathedral in [[Durban]] where he stayed until 1943 when he was appointed Superior at Saint Joseph's Scholasticate then based in Prestbury, [[Pietermaritzburg]]. He stayed in this position until 12th December 1946 when was named Vicar Apostolic of Natal and made a [[Bishop]]. He was the youngest Bishop in the world at that time. He chose as his motto ''Ubi Spiritus, ibi libertas'' which means "Where the Spirit is, there is liberty". On 11th January 1951, the Vicariate Apostolic of Natal was elevated to the [[Archdiocese of Durban]] and Hurley became Archbishop, again the youngest in the world at that time.