Wednesday, 28 July 2010

Fr Maurice Murphy, at the age of 95, has celebrated the 70th anniversary of his ordination to the Sacred Priesthood. The Bishop and all the priests of the Diocese join in wishing Fr Murphy a very Happy Anniversary and 'Ad Multos Annos'. 
 

Fr Murphy was born in Cork, Ireland, and his family moved to England when he was young. He went to school at St Alphonsus, Brooks Bar and St Bede's College, Manchester. He left England at the age of in 1933 to begin his studies at the Collegium Canisianum, Innsbruck. In November 1938 he had to transfer to the College Americain, Sion, Switzerland, and then in January 1940 he transferred to the Beda College which had taken up residence during the war years at UpHolland College.  

For anyone who knows Fr Murphy you will know that right to this day he has a great love for Austria and for the Austrian Church and People. His time in the seminary in Austria in the mid- to late-1930s were a most eventful time in our European history and the time he spent there left a very deep impression upon him. Fr Murphy is one who can remember every detail, and enjoys telling the story about his time in seminary and all that he experienced during those very formative years.

Fr Murphy was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood in St Alphonsus' church, Brooks Bar on 28th July, 1940, by the Right Reverend Henry Vincent Marshall, Lord Bishop of Salford.

During his time as a priest in the Diocese Fr Murphy has served in a number of parishes: As curate in St Chad's, Cheetham Hill; Mount Carmel, Salford; St Anne, Ancoats. As Parish Priest he served in Our Lady and St Paul's, Heywood and St Alphonsus, Brooks Bar.

In 1985 Fr Murphy retired as Parish Priest and stayed as Pastor Emeritus with Fr Paddy McMahon and then moved to Our Lady and St John, Chorlton, when Fr McMahon moved parish.

Fr Murphy is in good health and living now, since 2008, in retirement at St Joseph's Home, Plymouth Grove, Longsight, a home for retired people run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. He is celebrating the day by joining Fr Paddy McMahon at Our Lady and St John's Chorlton for the parish Mass in the morning and he will be celebrating with the community at St Joseph's Home on Sunday where he will be the principal celebrant at the Sunday morning Mass.