Detroit auxiliary bishop to head Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids

DETROIT (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI has named Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Walter A. Hurley to head the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids, church officials announced Tuesday.

Hurley succeeds the late Bishop Kevin Britt, who died in May 2004. Cardinal Adam Maida, archbishop of Detroit, has been serving as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Grand Rapids since Britt's death.

Hurley is to be installed as the 11th Bishop of Grand Rapids on Aug. 4 in the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Grand Rapids, the Detroit archdiocese said in a statement.

The Grand Rapids diocese, established in 1882, comprises 162,670 Catholics, 122 priests and 90 parishes in 11 counties in west-central Lower Michigan.

"The church in Grand Rapids is strong and vibrant," said Hurley, 68, who was born in the Canadian province of New Brunswick and was ordained to the priesthood in 1965. "It has been blessed with good leadership over the years and has a wonderfully dedicated group of priests, deacons, religious and laity. I am honored to be asked to serve there."

Hurley was ordained as an auxiliary bishop in July 2003 after serving as Maida's point man in the campaign to remove sexually abusive priests from the Detroit archdiocese. Hurley also supervised the construction of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington.

New bishop is 'seasoned pastor'

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-0/111936522154460.xml

Tuesday, June 21, 2005
By Charles Honey
Press Religion Editor

Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Walter Hurley, a top aide to Cardinal Adam Maida with long administrative and pastoral experience, today was named bishop of the Grand Rapids Catholic Diocese.

Hurley was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to lead West Michigan's 163,000 Catholics, who have been without a bishop for 13 months. He succeeds Bishop Kevin Britt, who died in May 2004 of a rare brain disorder after just seven months in office.

Hurley, 68, will be installed Aug. 4 as the diocese's 11th bishop in ceremonies at the Cathedral of St. Andrew. He will preside over nearly 100 parishes in 11 counties.

Ordained to the priesthood 40 years ago this month, Hurley said this morning he was "delighted" to accept the pope's appointment.

"I couldn't think of any place I'd rather go. It was as simple as that," Hurley said on his way to a press conference here. "When you're offered something as wonderful as Grand Rapids, you just say yes."

Hurley acknowledged he is not very familiar with the area, but said he has a number of friends here from seminary. He said he will collaborate with the diocese's leaders to pursue its mission of building strong parishes with vibrant worship.

"As I looked at that mission statement I thought, 'That's what I want to do,' " Hurley said.

Maida called Hurley "an excellent and seasoned pastor" and an able, caring administrator. Hurley has been Maida's top aide in charge of overseeing sexual abuse allegations against priests and has been "attentive to justice for all parties," Maida said in a statement.

"Bishop Hurley has been one of my closest collaborators and advisors, indeed a trusted friend," Maida said. "He will be a strong, wise and loving shepherd."

Hurley displayed those qualities earlier this spring when he came to St. Andrew's Cathedral to bless oils used for anointing ceremonies, said the Rev. Thomas Bolster. Hurley also presided there at a memorial Mass for Pope John Paul II.

"Clearly when Bishop Hurley was here, people were impressed he was that kind of bishop," said Bolster, pastor of St. James Catholic Church. "They liked him."

"A lot of people were commenting after his arrival, 'Wouldn't it be nice if he were our bishop?' " added the Rev. William Duncan, moderator of the curia for the diocese.

Duncan, the day-to-day diocesan administrator since Britt's death, said Hurley's extensive experience in administration and as a pastor will serve him well.

"I think it's a wonderful combination of gifts he'll bring as our new shepherd," Duncan said.

Area Catholics welcomed the news after a long wait for their spiritual leader.

"It's wonderful," said Ann Hubbard, an active volunteer at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Holland. "It's great we finally have our bishop again. I would hope that he would try to visit all the parishes and introduce himself."

The Canadian-born Hurley served five parishes in the 1.5-million member Detroit Archdiocese and as moderator of the curia, a top administrative post. He was ordained an auxiliary bishop in 2003.

Maida has been overseeing the Grand Rapids Diocese since Britt's death. At age 59, Britt was the youngest bishop to die in the 123-year history of the diocese and served the shortest term.

Hurley was appointed after a year-long search process involving state, national and international consultations. The apostolic nuncio, the pope's representative to the United States, compiled information on the diocese's needs and culled potential candidates from people in the diocese and from bishops elsewhere.

Maida and Cardinal Edmund Szoka, a Grand Rapids native, former Detroit archbishop and mayor of Vatican City, likely figured heavily in the process, experts said.

Hurley's appointment came six months after another bishop vacancy was filled in the Diocese of Saginaw. Only Sioux City, Iowa, vacant since January 2004, has been without a bishop longer among U.S. dioceses.

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