By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic

Related stories: 

• Archbishop Hurley: prophetic vision, pragmatic organizational skills
• ‘10-acre Hurley’: Florida’s builder-bishop

ORLANDO | Msgr. David Page, a priest of the Orlando Diocese, is not shy to speak about his admiration of Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley, who served as sixth bishop of St. Augustine from 1940 to his death in 1967.

The Irish-born priest, who is pastor emeritus of Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Indialantic, describes his mentor, archbishop and friend as a visionary, an accomplished faithful servant of the Church and an American patriot. It’s no surprise that Msgr. Page is also not shy about his opinion that Florida Catholics might not understand how important a role Archbishop Hurley plays in the history of the Church in the Sunshine State, and that the archbishop’s legacy should be enshrined.

“When all other bishops at the time were putting money in stocks and bonds, Archbishop Hurley put money into land, always investing in land,” said Msgr. Page, a former executive editor of the Florida Catholic newspaper and a priest for almost 60 years. Yet, there is no Archbishop Hurley High School in Florida or even an Archbishop Hurley parish hall anywhere in Florida. And that really bothers Msgr. Page. But the monsignor hopes there might be a concrete remembrance of the archbishop in the future.

“There are parishes and schools in all seven dioceses on land he purchased,” Msgr. Page said. “We owe a tremendous deal to this man.”

According to the St. Augustine Diocese, the organizations Archbishop Hurley started or fostered are still flourishing statewide, including 74 parishes, 100 schools (including high schools, elementary schools and schools for students with special needs), four Catholic hospitals, Catholic Charities, and the land purchase for St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, among other accomplishments.

To celebrate the life of Archbishop Hurley, the St. Augustine Diocese celebrated a memorial Mass Oct. 30, the 50th anniversary of his death, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. Archbishop Thomas Wenski gave a talk on Archbishop Hurley before presiding at the Mass, which was celebrated by all the bishops of Florida.

Msgr. Page served as Archbishop Hurley’s assistant in Rome during the final session of Vatican II in 1965, and penned a history about the archbishop in time for the celebration. In his text, published in the statewide edition of the Florida Catholic, it is easy to spot the monsignor’s admiration and love for a man who put the Florida Catholic Church on the map, literally and spiritually.

“I stayed up all night when he died. I cried. It’s one of the few times in my life I did so,” Msgr. Page recalled. “Our Church would not be where it is today without his vision and accomplishments.”