Appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Walter A. Hurley has served as the pastoral and administrative head of the Grand Rapids Diocese since 2005. He has been at the forefront of many initiatives during his tenure in Grand Rapids, leaving a distinguished legacy to the diocese. Upon turning 75, Hurley submitted his mandatory letter of resignation, which was accepted by Pope Francis in April of 2013. In this time of transition, Hurley shares a few personal reflections on his service in the priesthood of Christ. He reveals the personal side of ecclesial ministry and service, imparting a vision of hope to us all.

Like many drawn to the priesthood, the witness of others was an influential factor in Hurley’s discernment. “When I was growing up and was very young, we had a very fine pastor at our parish. I always had a great deal of admiration for him. He was one of those people you say, ‘I wanna be like him.’ He was somebody who visited people in the parishes, in the hospital, was a leader in the community, and was very well educated and respected. Some of that I just had a lot of respect for, and it sparked some of my interest [in the priesthood] early on.” Recognizing his call, Hurley entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 1965.

Reflecting upon his 47 years of service, Hurley observes that his time in the priesthood has been very rewarding. “I’ve had a wide range of experiences, not only within the Archdiocese of Detroit, but also work done nationally and internationally, and it all kind of makes you who you are.” One of his most fruitful experiences early on was the cultivation of a faith community through parish ministry. “When you’re a parish priest you walk with people in their lives and whatever it is that’s happening. There’s a sense of community, there’s people of all different ages; you’re there when people are married. You’re there when they’re baptized, you’re there when they die, and it’s all part of the pastoral nature of the priesthood..”

After several years in parish ministry, Cardinal Edmund Szoka of Detroit asked Hurley to obtain a degree in canon law. He earned a licentiate in canon law (J.C.L) from Catholic University of America in 1984, and served as judicial vicar of the Metropolitan Tribunal from 1984 to 1989, as well as moderator of the curia for the Archdiocese of Detroit from 1986 to 1990. In 2003 Hurley was appointed auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese, where he worked until 2005, when he was appointed Bishop of Grand Rapids by Pope Benedict XVI.

Upon his arrival, Hurley quickly saw the need for revitalization. “My impression had been that the Catholic community had a very low profile. It is the largest Christian denomination in the Grand Rapids area, even though I’m not sure a lot of people recognize that. So it was a matter of how to pull people together.” Using the same pastoral grace and administrative intuition that had proven successful in Detroit, Hurley embarked upon a broad campaign of reform and revitalization.

In a world obsessed with technological innovation, Hurley first worked to modernize diocesan ministries. “The technology is there and we must use it in the best possible way. For over fifty years the Sunday Mass [at the Cathedral] has been televised on Fox News. But more recently we’ve been able to livestream the Mass online, as well as many of our major celebrations. Technology is part of the real world in which we live, and if we want to engage with people, that’s how they want to be engaged.” Hurley also played a central role in bringing FAITH Grand Rapids Magazine to the diocese, which is devoted to the cultivation of Catholic culture through sharing the personal faith stories found throughout the diocese.

With this spirit of renewal, Hurley initiated the “Cathedral Square Project” in 2008. The diocese previously had offices in a retired seminary building, which was off the beaten path and in poor structural condition. In order to change this situation, Hurley worked to combine diocesan offices and ministries into a new, centralized location in downtown Grand Rapids. The project sought to strengthen the diocesan faith life, raise the regional Catholic profile, and create an accessible environment for diocesan laity and clergy.

While the project made administrative sense, Hurley viewed its principles through a deeply personal lens. “In growing up, every Sunday, my grandparents lived in the country, we lived in town, and some of my aunts and uncles lived nearby. Every Sunday we would go to my grandparents’ farm; we would get to know our cousins, and it was the gathering place for the whole family. Eventually my grandparents died, the farm was sold, and we didn’t get together anymore. Now I would have all kinds of cousins and relatives that I probably wouldn’t even recognize if I saw them. With that image, what the family farm was, for me, is what Cathedral Square was meant to be for the Diocese of Grand Rapids. It’s the place where people from all over the diocese gather.” Thus, through centralizing diocesan functions and ministries, Hurley sought to cultivate a vital community of faith in West Michigan.

In 2009, “Our Faith, Our Future” became another defining moment of Hurley’s time in Grand Rapids. In light of shifting diocesan demographics, Hurley launched the pastoral planning process to streamline and strengthen the diocese. “We’re dealing with the reality of several significant changes,” he explained, “one being changing demographics and population. For example, in some parts of the diocese, you’ll find there’s very little industry. So there’s no place for young people to find work, and they move out of the community; this changes things dramatically. The other thing is that there are fewer clergy than we once had. Many of these parishes were established when there were all kinds of priests available to serve them, and that’s no longer true. Also, sometimes when we’ve been doing things one way for a long time, people become very complacent. You need to stir the fires, in a sense; that’s what really makes a vibrant and strong parish. So our goal, first of all, was to create stronger parishes. As a result, there may be fewer of them, but hopefully they’ll be stronger and more vital.” The diocese was subsequently reorganized from 103 to 85 parishes. Additionally, “Our Faith, Our Future” made way for the creation of a new church, Blessed John Paul II Parish, in Cedar Springs, Michigan.

However, Hurley sees engagement with the next generation as complementary to any diocesan initiative and necessary for the long-term vitality of the diocese. “I would like to think that the youth bring the energy, excitement, and creativity that comes with being young into carrying out the mission of the Church. You always need to be injecting new life into things, and if you don’t, they’re going to die.” Thus, in order to fulfill this great mission of renewal, Hurley urges the youth to “get to know your faith, and be the people God has called you to be.”

Pope Francis, upon accepting Hurley’s resignation, appointed Rev. David John Walkowiak as the new Bishop of Grand Rapids. The transition will be completed on June 18th, upon Walkowiak’s installation. Hurley expressed optimism, approving of Pope Francis’ choice, but observed that there will continue to be challenges. “Schools are always a challenge. The New Evangelization, presenting the Gospel in new and more exciting ways, is always a challenge. In the practical order, making some of the things we’ve put together in Our Faith Our Future actually work; you don’t just issue a letter and say these parishes will be one, and they become one...it takes a lot of hard work. So, there are a few that come to mind right away, and I see those as significant.”

While optimistic for the future, Hurley’s post-retirement plans are still unclear. He laughed when asked, admitting that he’s not quite sure what he’ll do as bishop emeritus. “I’ll keep busy, I’ll do whatever the next bishop wants me to do. I’ll help out in the parishes, and I’ll help out other bishops if they want some help with confirmations and such... and then, I don’t know what I’ll do the rest of the time! I’ll find something to do.”

As the only Catholic institution of higher learning in West Michigan, Aquinas College has maintained a unique role in the Diocese of Grand Rapids. Hurley described his relationship with the school as very positive, and received a Doctorate of Theology, Honoris Causa, at Aquinas’ 2013 commencement ceremonies. During this time of diocesan transition, Aquinas expresses deep gratitude for Hurley’s years of service, wishing him a blessed and peaceful retirement.