Mark Joseph Hurley (December 13, 1919 – February 5, 2001) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Santa Rosa in California from 1969 to 1986.
Early life and education
Mark Hurley was born in San Francisco, California, one of five children of Mark Joseph and Josephine (née Keohane) Hurley. One of his brothers, Francis Thomas Hurley, served as Bishop of Juneau (1971–1976) and Archbishop of Anchorage (1976–2001). He received his early education at the parochial school of St. Agnes Church in his native city. He began his studies for the priesthood at St. Joseph's College in Mountain View, graduating in 1939. He then completed his theological studies at St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park.
Priesthood
Hurley was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of San Francisco on September 23, 1944. He served as assistant superintendent of archdiocesan schools from 1944 to 1951. In addition to his duties, he studied at the University of California for one year, and earned a doctorate in philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1947. He served as the founding principal of Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland from 1951 to 1958, afterwards holding the same position at Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield (1959–61). He was also assistant coordinator of the Archdiocesan Campaign of Taxation of Schools in California.
In 1962, Hurley was named a domestic prelate by Pope John XXIII and superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Stockton. He earned a Bachelor's degree in canon law from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome in 1963. From 1962 to 1965, he was a peritus, or theological expert, at the Second Vatican Council in Rome, where he served as an advisor to the commission on seminaries, universities, and schools. He also served as chancellor of the Diocese of Stockton during the same period. Following his return to the Archdiocese of San Francisco, he served as assistant chancellor from 1965 to 1969. For several years, he was on a San Francisco television program, "Problems Please."
Principal Assignments
Asst. Supt. of Schools, Archdiocese of San Francisco, 1944–1951
Teacher, Serra High School, San Mateo, CA 1944
Principal, Bishop O'Dowd High School, Oakland, CA, 1951–1958
Supt. of Schools, Diocese of Stockton, 1962–1965
Professor in graduate schools: Loyola University, Baltimore; University of San Francisco; San Francis(co?) College for Women; Dominican College; Catholic University of America.
Delegate, Conference on Psychiatry and Religion, San Francisco, 1957
Member of the Board, State of California Committee for the Study of Education, 1955–1960
Delegate-at-Large, state of California, White House Conference on Youth, Washington, DC, 1960
Catholic delegate and observer, National Council of Churches (Protestant), Columbus, OH, 1964
Delegate to NCEA Education Conference of German and American Educators, Munich, Germany, 1960
Member of Commission on Seminaries, Universities, and Schools, Second Vatican Council, 1962–63, 1964–65, peritus to the Council, 1962–1965
Member of NCEA delegation for study of education in Peru, 1965
Member, Liaison Committee of National Conference of Catholic Bishops (USA) with Priests' Senates
Member Commission on Christian Formation, United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, 1968
Member, Education, Committee of the Bishops of California, 1969
Other Assignments
Asst. archdiocesan coordinator of the Campaign on Taxation of Schools in California, 1958
Asst. archdiocesan coordinator, Rosary Crusade, 1948–1951
Administrator, St. Eugene Church, Santa Rosa, CA, 1959
Chancellor, Diocese of Stockton, Californian diocesan consultor, 1962–1965
Syndicated columnist, San Francisco, The Monitor, Sacramento Herald, Oakland Voice, Yakima Our Times, Guam Diocesan Press, 1949–1966
"Faith of Our Father" weekly TV program speaker, 1956–1958, San Francisco
"Problems Please," weekly TV program panelist, 1961–1967
Member of US bishops' press panel, Vatican Council, Rome, 1964–65
Member of the US bishops' Committee on the Laity, Rome, 1964
Member of the US bishops' Committee on the Laity, Rome, Jewish Relations, 1964 through at least January 1970
Asst. chancellor, Archdiocese of San Francisco, 1965
Pastor, St. Francis of Assisi Church, San Francisco, Nov. 7, 1967 through his installation as Bishop of Santa Rosa
Vicar general, Archdiocese of San Francisco, January 18, 1968 through his installation as Bishop of Santa Rosa