Archbishop Hurley: prophetic vision, pragmatic organizational skills (by Mons. Thomas Wensky)

Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine
Foto/Blog Gaspar, El Lugareño 

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Joseph Hurley (1894-1967) became the bishop of St. Augustine in 1940. He was named shortly after the death of Bishop Patrick Barry. The St. Augustine Diocese encompassed the whole state of Florida, except for the western part of the Panhandle which was joined to the Diocese of Mobile in Alabama. It had been and was, at the time of Hurley’s arrival, “mission territory.” Catholics were few in number and scattered throughout the state. Given the size of the state and a chronic shortage of priests, along with a precarious financial situation due to the laisse faire administration of his predecessor and America’s proximate entry into World War II, he faced considerable challenges. But he was a man imbued with great self-confidence, a sense of destiny and vibrancy. He had both a prophetic vision and pragmatic organizational skills. He was up to the tasks ahead of him. (read full text)

Archbishop Thomas Wenski delivered this talk Oct. 30, 2017, in St. Augustine, Fla., at the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the death of Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley, sixth bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine, which at one time encompassed all of Florida.