Michael Hurley (Jesuit)
Encyclopedia
Father Michael Hurley, S.J.
, (10 May 1923 - 15 April 2011) was an Irish
Jesuit priest
and theologian, who has been widely called the "father of Irish ecumenism
" for promoting Christian unity. Hurley co-founded the Irish School of Ecumenics
in 1970 and served as the school's director until 1980.
Hurley was born in Ardmore, County Waterford
, on 10 May 1923. He attended school in Mount Melleray
, before joining the Society of Jesus
in 1940. Hurley was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1954. Hurley was educated at both University College Dublin
and the Catholic University of Leuven
. He received a doctorate
in theology
from Pontifical Gregorian University
in Rome
, Italy
. Hurley taught at the former Mungret College
from 1958 to 1970.
A strong proponent of ecumenism, Father Hurley co-founded the Irish School of Ecumenics
in 1970. Hurley worked to good relations between different Christian denominations in Ireland
, Northern Ireland
and abroad. His work at the school was opposed by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid
, the then conservative Archbishop of Dublin
. Archbishop McQuaid initially banned Hurley from speaking on ecumenism within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin
. However, McQuaid reversed the ban after Hurley was defended by Father Cecil McGarry, the Jesuit provincial in Ireland during the early 1970s.
Archbishop McQuaid died in 1973. His successor, Archbishop Dermot Ryan, remained opposed to Hurley and the Irish School of Ecumenics. Hurley later said in an interview, "Archbishop Ryan, became somewhat unhappy with [the Irish School of Ecumenics] and with myself in particular, because, although I’m called after the archangel, I’m no angel. I’ve never quite managed to be angelic, much less archangelic, in my behaviour. So towards the end of the school’s first decade it seemed best to remove myself from the scene. After that the school’s relationship with the Catholic archdiocese did improve." Hurley stepped down as director of the Irish School of Ecumenics in 1980 and relations with the Archdiocese of Dublin began to improve.
Hurley co-founded the Columbanus Community of Reconciliation, located on Antrim Road in Belfast, in 1983. Hurley had conceived of the idea of community where Protestants and Catholics could live together during the 1981 Irish hunger strike
. He lived at Columbanus for ten years, before moving to the Jesuit community residence in Milltown Park, South Dublin
, in 1993, where he lived for the rest of his life
Father Hurley received honorary doctorates from Queen's University Belfast in 1993 and Trinity College, Dublin
in 1995. In 2008, David F. Ford
, a former theologian at the University of Cambridge
wrote that Hurley "was ahead of his time in how he brought ecumenism among churches together with interfaith dialogue and dedication to religious, political and cultural reconciliation
across some of the deepest differences in our world. Hurley’s daring alliance of faith with intellect and institutional creativity has challenged the religious and the non-religious to take seriously the role of religion in healing the contemporary world."
In 2008, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin
apologised to Father Hurley for his treatment by the late Archbishop John Charles McQuaid during the establishment of the Irish School of Ecumenics in the 1960s and 1970s. Father Hurley called it a "magnanimous apology."
Father Michael Hurley died in Dublin on April 15, 2011, at the age of 87.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, (10 May 1923 - 15 April 2011) was an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Jesuit priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and theologian, who has been widely called the "father of Irish ecumenism
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
" for promoting Christian unity. Hurley co-founded the Irish School of Ecumenics
Irish School of Ecumenics
The Irish School of Ecumenics is a new discipline within an aspirant School at Trinity College Dublin, and existed as an independent entity until negotiating admission to Trinity College about a decade ago. The ISE is dedicated to the promotion of ecumenism, religious reconciliation and interfaith...
in 1970 and served as the school's director until 1980.
Hurley was born in Ardmore, County Waterford
Ardmore, County Waterford
Ardmore is a fishing village in County Waterford, Ireland, not far from Youghal on the south coast of Ireland, with a population of around 330, although this varies with the tourist season. It is believed to be the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland...
, on 10 May 1923. He attended school in Mount Melleray
Mount Melleray
Mount Melleray is a townland situated in the Knockmealdown Mountains near Cappoquin, Co. Waterford, Ireland.-Abbey:...
, before joining the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in 1940. Hurley was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1954. Hurley was educated at both University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
and the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
. He received a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
from Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
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...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Hurley taught at the former Mungret College
Mungret College
Mungret College, situated west of Limerick, Ireland, near the village of Mungret, was a Jesuit apostolic school and a lay secondary school from 1882 until 1974 when it closed as a school for the last time. The college produced over 1000 priests in that period...
from 1958 to 1970.
A strong proponent of ecumenism, Father Hurley co-founded the Irish School of Ecumenics
Irish School of Ecumenics
The Irish School of Ecumenics is a new discipline within an aspirant School at Trinity College Dublin, and existed as an independent entity until negotiating admission to Trinity College about a decade ago. The ISE is dedicated to the promotion of ecumenism, religious reconciliation and interfaith...
in 1970. Hurley worked to good relations between different Christian denominations in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and abroad. His work at the school was opposed by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid
John Charles McQuaid
John Charles McQuaid, C.S.Sp. was the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland between December 1940 and February 1972.- Early life 1895-1914:...
, the then conservative Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Roman Catholic)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Archdiocese of Dublin. The Church of Ireland has a similar role, heading the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. In both cases, the Archbishop is also Primate of Ireland...
. Archbishop McQuaid initially banned Hurley from speaking on ecumenism within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dublin, , is a Roman Catholic archdiocese in eastern Ireland centred around the republic's capital city – Dublin. The see of Dublin was raised to the status of a Metropolitan Province by the Synod of Kells in 1152. Its jurisdiction includes much of the Province of...
. However, McQuaid reversed the ban after Hurley was defended by Father Cecil McGarry, the Jesuit provincial in Ireland during the early 1970s.
Archbishop McQuaid died in 1973. His successor, Archbishop Dermot Ryan, remained opposed to Hurley and the Irish School of Ecumenics. Hurley later said in an interview, "Archbishop Ryan, became somewhat unhappy with [the Irish School of Ecumenics] and with myself in particular, because, although I’m called after the archangel, I’m no angel. I’ve never quite managed to be angelic, much less archangelic, in my behaviour. So towards the end of the school’s first decade it seemed best to remove myself from the scene. After that the school’s relationship with the Catholic archdiocese did improve." Hurley stepped down as director of the Irish School of Ecumenics in 1980 and relations with the Archdiocese of Dublin began to improve.
Hurley co-founded the Columbanus Community of Reconciliation, located on Antrim Road in Belfast, in 1983. Hurley had conceived of the idea of community where Protestants and Catholics could live together during the 1981 Irish hunger strike
1981 Irish hunger strike
The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest began as the blanket protest in 1976, when the British government withdrew Special Category Status for convicted paramilitary prisoners...
. He lived at Columbanus for ten years, before moving to the Jesuit community residence in Milltown Park, South Dublin
South Dublin
South Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. The county seat is Tallaght, the largest suburb of Dublin and the biggest urban centre in the county. Other important centres of population are Lucan and Clondalkin...
, in 1993, where he lived for the rest of his life
Father Hurley received honorary doctorates from Queen's University Belfast in 1993 and Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
in 1995. In 2008, David F. Ford
David F. Ford
David Frank Ford is an academic and public theologian. He has been the Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge since 1991...
, a former theologian at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
wrote that Hurley "was ahead of his time in how he brought ecumenism among churches together with interfaith dialogue and dedication to religious, political and cultural reconciliation
Reconciliation
Reconciliation may variously refer to:* Bank reconciliation* Truth and reconciliation commission-Religion:* Sacrament of Penance , also known as Reconciliation...
across some of the deepest differences in our world. Hurley’s daring alliance of faith with intellect and institutional creativity has challenged the religious and the non-religious to take seriously the role of religion in healing the contemporary world."
In 2008, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin
Diarmuid Martin
Diarmuid Martin is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland. He was born in Dublin.-Early life and education:...
apologised to Father Hurley for his treatment by the late Archbishop John Charles McQuaid during the establishment of the Irish School of Ecumenics in the 1960s and 1970s. Father Hurley called it a "magnanimous apology."
Father Michael Hurley died in Dublin on April 15, 2011, at the age of 87.