{{Short description|British political activist (1929–2022)}} {{For|the New Zealand cyclist|Bruce Kent (cyclist)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}} {{Use British English|date=February 2013}} {{Infobox_person | image = StopTrident - Bruce Kent (cropped).jpg | caption = Kent in 2016 | birth_name = David Bruce Kent | birth_place = Blackheath, London, England | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1929|06|22}} | death_place = Harringay, London, England | death_date = {{Death date and age |2022|06|08|1929|06|22|df=yes}} | known_for = Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament: Secretary General (1980–1985); Chairman (1977–1979 and 1987–1990) | alma_mater = Stonyhurst College<br/>Brasenose College, Oxford<br/>St Edmund's seminary | spouse = {{marriage|Valerie Flessati|1988}} | module = {{Infobox clergy | child = yes | religion = Christianity | church = Roman Catholic Church | ordained = 1958 (priest) | laicised = {{circa}} 1988 | writings = | congregations = | offices_held = | title = The Very Reverend Monsignor }} | website = {{URL|bruce-kent.com}} }}
'''David Bruce Kent''' (22 June 1929 – 8 June 2022) was an English former Roman Catholic priest who became a political activist in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), holding various leadership positions in the organisation.
==Early life and education== Born on 22 June 1929 in Blackheath, Southeast London,<ref name="Times"/><ref name="Guardian-Obit" /> Kent was the son of Molly (Marion) and Kenneth Kent.<ref>{{Cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-SfAAAAMAAJ&q=Molly+(Marion)+Kenneth+Kent| title=Undiscovered ends| last1=Kent| first1=Bruce| year=1992| publisher=HarperCollinsReligious| isbn=9780002159968| access-date=11 June 2022| archive-date=11 June 2022| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611102136/https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-SfAAAAMAAJ&q=Molly+%28Marion%29+Kenneth+Kent| url-status=live}}</ref> His parents were Canadian, with his father Presbyterian and his mother Catholic.<ref name="ODNB">{{Cite ODNB |first= Stanford |last= Peter |title= Kent, (David) Bruce (1929–2022) |date= 9 April 2026 |doi= 10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000383166 }}</ref> He was educated in Canada at Lower Canada College, to escape The Blitz of the Second World War.<ref name="ODNB" /> He returned to England and attended Stonyhurst College.<ref name="ODNB" />
After completing his schooling, he was called up for National Service; this was a period of his life that he "he enjoyed and never tried to disown".<ref name="ODNB" /> He served in the Royal Tank Regiment, British Army from 1947 to 1949. After officer training, he was commissioned in the Royal Armoured Corps as a second lieutenant on 20 August 1948.<ref name="LG 15 October 1948">{{London Gazette |issue= 38434 |date= 15 October 1948 |page= 5521 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref>
During a period of leave from the army, he attended the Easter 1949 retreat at Stonyhurst College, his old school, and first felt the call to the priesthood.<ref name="ODNB" /> His Presbyterian father disapproved and negotiated that he would first attend university before making a decision.<ref name="ODNB" /> As such, after finishing his military service, he went on to read Jurisprudence at Brasenose College, Oxford, from 1949 to 1952. In 1952, his mind made up, he began a six-year course studying for the priesthood at St Edmund's seminary in Ware, Hertfordshire.<ref name="Times"/>
==Priesthood== In 1958, Kent was ordained as a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Westminster. He served his curacy at Our Lady of Victories, Kensington and then at St Pius X Parish Church, North Kensington.<ref name="ODNB" /> From 1963 to 1966, he served as secretary to Cardinal John Heenan.<ref name="ODNB" /> Kent was made a Monsignor at only 35 years old.<ref name="ODNB" /> Between 1966 and 1974, he was the Catholic chaplain to the University of London.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/15559/peace-campaigner-bruce-kent-has-died|title=Peace campaigner Bruce Kent has died|website=The Tablet|access-date=9 June 2022|archive-date=9 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609181530/https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/15559/peace-campaigner-bruce-kent-has-died|url-status=live}}</ref> From 1974 to 1976, he was chaplain to Pax Christi and chairman of the charity War on Want.<ref name="ODNB" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/bruce-kent|title=Bruce Kent |website=The Guardian|access-date=11 June 2022|archive-date=30 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530110721/https://www.theguardian.com/profile/bruce-kent|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2022/06/09/bruce-kent-catholic-priest-led-campaign-nuclear-disarmament/|title=Bruce Kent, Catholic priest and energetic leader of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament – obituary|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=9 June 2022|access-date=11 June 2022|archive-date=10 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220610103405/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2022/06/09/bruce-kent-catholic-priest-led-campaign-nuclear-disarmament/|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 1977, he returned to parish ministry, having been appointed as parish priest of St Aloysius Church, Somers Town, near Euston railway station.<ref name="ODNB" /> Having been granted permission by Cardinal Basil Hume, he accepted the appointment as general secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in January 1980, and was moved to become an assistant priest at St John the Evangelist Church, Islington.<ref name="ODNB" />
In February 1987, Kent retired from the priesthood.<ref name="obit ICN" /><ref name="Guardian-Obit">{{Cite news|first1=Peter|last1=Stanford|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/09/bruce-kent-obituary|title=Bruce Kent obituary|date=9 June 2022|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=12 June 2022|archive-date=12 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220612090146/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/09/bruce-kent-obituary|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070711133300/http://www.arcuk.org/pages/arc_patrons.htm#brucee ARC Patrons Biographies] Arms Reduction Coalition</ref> Contrary to some reports, he claimed to have never requested laicization and to have remained a priest.<ref name=":0" /> However, his canonically illicit marriage 14 months after his retirement incurred automatic laicization.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Does Laicization Remove a Priest's Powers? |url=https://www.catholic.com/qa/does-laicization-remove-a-priests-powers |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=Catholic Answers}}</ref>
In 1992, he was a candidate for the Labour Party in the constituency of Oxford West and Abingdon, where he came third. Had he been elected, he would at the time have been prevented, as an ordained priest, from taking his seat in the House of Commons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199899/cmhansrd/vo990616/debtext/90616-20.htm#90616-20_head0|title=Hansard – 16 June 1999, col 394|access-date=30 August 2017|archive-date=28 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128083053/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199899/cmhansrd/vo990616/debtext/90616-20.htm#90616-20_head0|url-status=live}}</ref> Sitting Member of Parliament and Conservative minister John Patten, also a Catholic, retained his seat.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20000819081618/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/1983EC.html English Counties] United Kingdom Election Results 1983–97</ref>
==Activism== In 1958, Kent joined Pax Christi,<ref name="ODNB" /> having been invited to become a chaplain to the Catholic peace movement.<ref name="obit ICN">{{cite web |last1=Linden |first1=Ian |title=Bruce Kent: A Priest for all Seasons |url=https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/44930 |website=ICN |publisher=Independent Catholic News |access-date=31 May 2026 |language=en |date=19 June 2022}}</ref> He had chaired a talk in Kensington by Thomas Roberts, a Jesuit bishop: Roberts convinced Kent that a nuclear deterrence was "wicked" and that although the Church taught just war theory, it did not support the direct targeting of non-combatants.<ref name="ODNB" />
In 1960, Kent joined the Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament,<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last=Kent|first=Bruce|title=BRUCE KENT – Biographical information|url=http://bruce-kent.com/biography.htm#clarification|accessdate=20 April 2021|archive-date=20 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420164008/http://bruce-kent.com/biography.htm#clarification|url-status=live}}</ref> a specialist section of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).<ref>{{cite web|title=Christian CND|url=http://ccnd.gn.apc.org/|accessdate=24 July 2011|archive-date=9 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709212153/http://ccnd.gn.apc.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> He was CND's general secretary from 1980 to 1985 and its chair from 1987 to 1990, and later held the honorary title of vice-president.<ref>[http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/localnews/Veteran-antinuclear-campaigner-gives-city.5417488.jp Veteran anti-nuclear campaigner gives city peace talk] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611102142/https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/localnews/veteran-antinuclear-campaigner-gives-city.5417488.jp |date=11 June 2022 }} ''The Yorkshire Post'', 1 July 2009</ref> In the 1980s, he led resistance to the deployment of the BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile at RAF Greenham Common.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vallely |first=Paul |date=17 June 2022 |title=Paul Vallely: Bruce Kent was a prophet who kept our eyes lifted |work=Church Times |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2022/17-june/comment/columnists/paul-vallely-bruce-kent-was-a-prophet-who-kept-our-eyes-lifted |access-date=22 June 2022}}</ref>
From 1985 to 1992, Kent succeeded Seán MacBride as president of the International Peace Bureau.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kent|first=Bruce|title=BRUCE KENT – PEACE WORK FOR OVER SIX DECADES|url=http://bruce-kent.com/biography.htm#sixdecades|accessdate=20 April 2021|archive-date=20 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420164008/http://bruce-kent.com/biography.htm#sixdecades|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1997, he took part in the Musa Anter peace train to Diyarbakır, which aimed for a solution for the Kurdish-Turkish conflict.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Clark |first=William |date=1997 |title=The Musa Anter peace train |url=https://www.variant.org.uk/pdfs/issue4/peace.pdf |journal=Variant |issue=4 |pages=12–17}}</ref> In a ceremony held on 19 October 2019, Kent was honoured with its MacBride Peace Prize.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/12127/bruce-kent-honoured-with-peace-award|title=Bruce Kent honoured with peace award|last=Teague|first=Ellen|date=15 October 2019|website=The Tablet|language=en|access-date=31 March 2020|archive-date=4 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804201122/https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/12127/bruce-kent-honoured-with-peace-award|url-status=live}}</ref>
Kent was a patron of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.<ref name="PSC">{{Cite web |title=Our Patrons: Bruce Kent |url=https://www.palestinecampaign.org/about/patrons/bruce-kent/ |access-date=11 June 2022 |publisher=Palestine Solidarity Campaign |archive-date=21 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521122032/https://www.palestinecampaign.org/about/patrons/bruce-kent/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
In April 2021, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby awarded the Lambeth Cross for Ecumenism jointly to Kent and to his wife Valerie Flessati "for exceptional, tireless and lifelong dedication to the Christian ecumenical search for peace, both individually and together."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Hattie |date=11 June 2022 |title=Lambeth Awards recognise service to Church and community |work=Church Times |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2021/9-april/news/uk/lambeth-awards-recognise-service-to-church-and-community |access-date=11 June 2022 |archive-date=12 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812115707/https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2021/9-april/news/uk/lambeth-awards-recognise-service-to-church-and-community |url-status=live }}</ref>
Among his heroes was Franz Jägerstätter, the Austrian farmer who was executed in 1943 for refusing to fight in Hitler's army. As recently as 15 May 2022, Kent took part in the annual ceremony in Tavistock Square, London, to honour conscientious objectors throughout the world.<ref name="ICN">{{Cite web|url=https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/44865?fbclid=IwAR0nje98W0NzAisTSRTCMXDNUMgcHFGIohhXAWPvnLMfcfqnOSyFxzVyp9g|title=StackPath|website=www.indcatholicnews.com|date=9 June 2022 |access-date=17 June 2022|archive-date=17 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220617175513/https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/44865?fbclid=IwAR0nje98W0NzAisTSRTCMXDNUMgcHFGIohhXAWPvnLMfcfqnOSyFxzVyp9g|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Personal life and death== Kent married Valerie Flessati on 4 July 1988 and lived in Harringay, North London.<ref name="Times">{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/bruce-kent-peace-campaigner-and-cnd-driving-force-dies-at-92-t6q30h8cb|title=Bruce Kent obituary|work=The Times|date=9 June 2022|access-date=11 June 2022|url-access=subscription|archive-date=10 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220610214834/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bruce-kent-peace-campaigner-and-cnd-driving-force-dies-at-92-t6q30h8cb|url-status=live}}</ref> They did not have any children.<ref name="WWW">{{cite web |title=Kent, Bruce, (22 June 1929–8 June 2022), campaigner for peace and disarmament; Hon. Vice President, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, since 1985 (General Secretary, 1980–85; Vice-Chairman, 1985–87; Chairman, 1987–90) |url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U22906 |website=Who Was Who |publisher=Oxford University Press |access-date=31 May 2026 |date=1 December 2022}}</ref>
Kent died on 8 June 2022, at home, at the age of 92.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/09/bruce-kent-tributes-paid-as-peace-campaigner-dies-aged-92|title=Bruce Kent: tributes paid as peace campaigner dies aged 92|last=Badshah|first=Nadeem|work=The Guardian|date=9 June 2022|access-date=9 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609175829/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/09/bruce-kent-tributes-paid-as-peace-campaigner-dies-aged-92|archive-date=9 June 2022|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/15559/peace-campaigner-bruce-kent-has-died|title=Peace campaigner Bruce Kent has died|magazine=The Tablet|date=9 June 2022|access-date=9 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609181530/https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/15559/peace-campaigner-bruce-kent-has-died|archive-date=9 June 2022|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/abolishwar/photos/a.205469806167392/5290236357690686/|title=Movement for the Abolition of War - Facebook |website=www.facebook.com |quote= MAW is very sad that Bruce Kent, our President Emeritus, died at home yesterday after a short illness. We will miss him so much}}</ref> At the time of his death he was a vice-president of CND, a vice-president of Pax Christi, and emeritus president of the Movement for the Abolition of War.<ref name="ICN"/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Thornton |first=Ed |date=11 June 2022 |title=Tributes paid to Bruce Kent, peace-campaigner |work=Church Times |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2022/17-june/news/uk/tributes-paid-to-bruce-kent-peace-campaigner |access-date=11 June 2022 |archive-date=10 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220610114601/https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2022/17-june/news/uk/tributes-paid-to-bruce-kent-peace-campaigner |url-status=live }}</ref> On 4 July 2022, his requiem mass was held at St Mellitus' Church, Tollington Park, London, with Archbishop Malcolm McMahon presiding.<ref name="ODNB" /><ref name="Funeral Mass">{{cite web |last1=Siedlecka |first1=Jo |title=Hundreds attend Funeral Mass for Bruce Kent |url=https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/45040 |website=ICN |publisher=Independent Catholic News |access-date=31 May 2026 |language=en |date=5 July 2022}}</ref>
Kent's great-nephew is English actor and songwriter Joe Alwyn.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dibdin | first=Emma |date=19 April 2024 |title= Where Is Joe Alwyn From? Inside the Actor's Upbringing and Family |url=https://parade.com/celebrities/joe-alwyn-family |website=Parade |access-date=6 February 2026 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250502105105/https://parade.com/celebrities/joe-alwyn-family |archive-date=2 May 2025}}</ref>
==See also== * List of peace activists * [http://www.bruce-kent.com/biography.htm Biography on personal website]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://bruce-kent.com/ Official website] *[http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?LinkID=mp59315/ Images of Kent] at the National Portrait Gallery *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070213182042/http://openvault.wgbh.org/wapina/barcode48940kent_2/index.html/ Interview about CND] for the WGBH series [https://web.archive.org/web/20070509083727/http://openvault.wgbh.org/series/War%2Band%2BPeace%2Bin%2Bthe%2BNuclear%2BAge/ "War and Peace in the Nuclear Age"] *[http://pubs.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/sr191/kent.htm/ "My Favourite Books"], ''Socialist Review'', Issue 191, 1995 *[http://www.newstatesman.com/writers/bruce_kent/ Articles written by Kent] in the ''New Statesman'' *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060222081602/http://thetablet.co.uk/cgi-bin/register.cgi/tablet-00106/ "The myths of the arms trade"], ''The Tablet'' *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050416052136/http://www.acronym.org.uk/dd/dd13/13abol.htm/ "The Abolition of War: The Politics of Realistic Utopianism"], ''Disarmament Diplomacy''
{{start box}} {{succession box | title=Chair of CND| before=John Cox | after=Hugh Jenkins| years=1977–1979}} {{succession box | title=General Secretary of CND | before= Duncan Rees | after=Meg Beresford| years=1979–1985}} {{succession box | title=Chair of CND| before= Paul Johns | after=Marjorie Thompson| years=1987–1990}} {{end box}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kent, Bruce}} Category:1929 births Category:2022 deaths Category:20th-century British Army personnel Category:20th-century British Roman Catholic priests Category:Alumni of Brasenose College, Oxford Category:Alwyn family Category:British anti–nuclear weapons activists Category:Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament activists Category:Labour Party (UK) parliamentary candidates Category:Laicized Roman Catholic priests Category:Military personnel from the London Borough of Haringey Category:Military personnel from the London Borough of Lewisham Category:Military personnel from the Royal Borough of Greenwich Category:People educated at Stonyhurst College Category:People from Blackheath, London Category:People from Harringay Category:Royal Tank Regiment officers