Yorke, Peter

Yorke, Peter (Christopher)

(1864–1925) Catholic priest, journalist, activist; born in Galway, Ireland. Ordained in Baltimore (1887) after study in Ireland and the U.S.A., he was chancellor of the San Francisco archdiocese (1894–99) and editor of its newspaper, which fought anti-Catholic bigotry. He also founded and edited (from 1902) a controversial weekly paper championing Irish nationalism and the rights of labor. A prominent civic leader, he held pastorates in Oakland and San Francisco (1903–25).