Archbishop William Mark Duke (1879–1971)
Date of Birth:
October 9, 1879, Saint John, New Brunswick
Ordination:
June 29, 1902, by Bishop Timothy Casey, Saint John, New Brunswick.
Episcopal Ordination:
October 18, 1928, by Archbishop Timothy Casey, Archbishop of Vancouver, assisted by Bishop Edouard LeBlanc, Bishop of Saint John, and Bishop Patrice Chiasson, CIM, Bishop of Chatham at Saint John, New Brunswick.
Length of Episcopacy:
1931–1964
Motto: Duc in altum. (Launch out into the deep.)
Archbishop William Duke began working as a parish priest for the Diocese of Saint John in America, now the Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick; he eventually became rector of the cathedral of Saint John. On August 10, 1928, he was named titular bishop of Phasis and coadjutor bishop of the Archdiocese of Vancouver by Pope Pius XI.
He became archbishop of Vancouver after the death of Archbishop Timothy Casey on October 5, 1931. A strict disciplinarian, the “Iron Duke” kept careful rein on archdiocesan finances during the Hungry Thirties and World War II. He achieved his goals of fostering local vocations, building enough parishes and schools to meet Catholic needs, and establishing St. Mark’s College at the University of British Columbia. Archbishop Duke retired March 11, 1964, at the age of 84 and was succeeded by Archbishop Martin Johnson. Archbishop Duke died August 31, 1971, at the age of 91.