Archer, Luke (d. 1644), abbot of Holy Cross, was probably a member of the Archer family of Kilkenny. He began his ecclesiastical career as a secular priest, rising to the positions of archdeacon of St Canice's, Kilkenny, and (January 1609) vicar apostolic of the diocese of Leighlin. In 1610 he became a Cistercian monk; he was professed in 1611 and two years later was appointed to the position of abbot of Holy Cross in Co. Tipperary. He turned the abbey into a noviciate for the whole of Ireland, but in or after 1623 he moved the community to a dwelling house in Kilkenny to take account of the hostile political climate. Archer encountered another difficulty with successive catholic archbishops of Cashel over ecclesiastical jurisdiction. He apparently retained his position in Leighlin (a successor was not appointed until 1622) and became also vicar general of Ossory (a new bishop was appointed there in 1618).
Between 1618 and 1637, while remaining abbot of Holy Cross, he was vicar general of the Cistercians in Ireland, in which capacity he soon visited all the Cistercian houses in the kingdom. Archer was an energetic administrator: he appointed regular abbots to dispossessed ancient houses, notably Mellifont and St Mary's abbey, Dublin. In 1637 he retired from both positions owing to failing health. He died 19 December 1644 and was buried at Holy Cross abbey ‘amid a great concourse of the clergy and laity’.