Br Paul Hurley, the former editor of the religious magazine The Word, has died at the age of 91.
The Word, the magazine of the Divine Word Missionaries, became a publishing phenomenon. It was first published in England in 1936, suspended due to the second World War in 1940, and became a monthly pictorial magazine in 1953. At its peak in 1970 it was selling 250,000 copies a month and was one of the first magazines in Ireland to carry colour on a regular basis.
Its decline reflected the decline in Mass attendance in Ireland. By the time it closed in December 2008, its circulation had dropped to 17,000.
Br Hurley was born in Dublin and entered the Divine Word Missionaries in Donamon, Co Roscommon in 1948.
Acting provincial superior of the order Dr Vincent Twomey said Br Hurley had transformed The Word into “the most prestigious pictorial magazine in Ireland and Britain – either secular or religious.
“As editor Br Paul was responsible for the design, layout and proofreading of The Word, whose reputation was widely recognised across the media fraternity. ”
