Francis Thomas Hurley
Francis Thomas Hurley was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Anchorage from 1976 to 2001.Biography
Francis Hurley was born in San Francisco, California, one of five children of Mark Joseph and Josephine Hurley. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 16, 1951.
On February 4, 1970, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Juneau in Juneau, Alaska, and Titular Bishop of Daimlaig by Pope Paul VI. Hurley received his episcopal consecration on the following March 19 from Bishop Mark Hurley, with Bishops William McManus and Joseph Bernardin, a future cardinal, serving as co-consecrators.
He was later named the second Bishop of Juneau on July 20, 1971, being formally installed as such on the following September 8. During his tenure, Hurley expanded Catholic ministry in the smaller and more remote communities of the diocese, and helped implement the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, such as promoting more active roles for the laity.
Pope Paul appointed him the second Archbishop of Anchorage on May 4, 1976. Hurley was installed on July 8 of that same year, and remained in that position for twenty-four years, finally resigning on March 3, 2001.
Hurley was also an airplane pilot. After his retirement, Hurley stayed active in the church. He presided over the funeral of former Alaskan Governor Wally Hickel.Death
Hurley died on January 10, 2016, at the age of 88, after suffering from heart disease since at least 2010.
