William Mark Duke

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Styles of
William Mark Duke
Reference style The Most Reverend
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Monsignor
Posthumous style none


William Mark Duke (October 7, 1879—August 31, 1971) was a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, who served as Archbishop of Vancouver from 1931 to 1964.

Born in St. John, New Brunswick, William Duke was ordained to the priesthood at age 23 on June 29, 1903. He was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Vancouver and Titular Bishop of Phasis by Pope Pius XI on August 10, 1928. He received his episcopal consecration on the following October 18 from Archbishop Timothy Casey.

Duke later succeeded the late Archbishop Casey as full Archbishop of Vancouver on October 5, 1931. He attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965. The Archbishop was a "strict disciplinarian"[1], and was also known as the "Iron Duke"[2]. He was opposed to Sunday picnics, dances, alcohol, and Marxism, and once said of bathing beauty contests, "It lowers the dignity and esteem due to women to parade them and measure them ... like cattle."[3] However, Duke was dedicated to vocations, establishing parishes and parochial schools, and founded St. Mark's College.

He retired as Vancouver's archbishop on March 11, 1964, after thirty-two years of service. Upon his retirement, Duke was appointed Titular Archbishop of Seleucia in Isauria. He died seven years later, at age 91.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Archdiocese of Vancouver. Former Bishops
  2. ^ TIME Magazine. Icebergs & Cattle September 6, 1948
  3. ^ Ibid.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Timothy Casey		 Archbishop of Vancouver
1931–1964		 Succeeded by
Martin Michael Johnson