Biography:
Birth, early life and education
Michael Moling Murphy was born August 20, 1918, Ballinalour, St Mullins, County Carlow. His parents were Eileen and Pierce.His siblings were Sean, Mary (Sister Attracta O.P.), Eileen (Mrs O’Hanlon) and Fathers Jeremiah, Garrett and Pierce. Michael and his brother Pierce came to the Archdiocese of Adelaide, as Sister Attracta was already a nun in the Dominican Convent at Cabra.
They were advised to seek a diocese outside of Ireland. Jeremiah and Garrett were priests in their home diocese and four brothers in the one diocese was considered inadvisable.
Michael was educated at Knockbeg College, County Carlow. His ecclesiastical studies took place at St Patrick’s College, County Carlow. Archbishop Killian of Adelaide had written to Michael on October 8, 1937, suggesting that a Dip. Ed., as part of his studies, could be of value.
Michael was ordained at St Patrick’s, County Carlow on June 3, 1944. After ordination, he wrote a letter on June 19, 1944, to Archbishop Beovich about the difficulties of getting to Australia during wartime. He eventually arrived in Adelaide on Good Friday, March 30, 1945. Michael was one of the last Irish priests to arrive in this diocese. The last was Sean McGearty in 1958.
First appointments
On April 1, 1945, Michael was appointed temporary assistant at Glenelg. He also spent some time as a curate at Kingswood. On July 1, he became assistant priest at St Peters parish. The Parish Priest at the time was James Kelly. During that time, in March 1949 to be precise, he left for the first of his extended visits to Ireland.
After a 10-year stint as assistant priest at the three parishes – at each of which he was fondly remembered – in February, 1956, Michael was appointed Parish Priest of Victor Harbor. It was there that Mrs Carmel Phillis, who was to be his housekeeper for many years, first took on that role. The Victor Harbor stay was short. He had only been there for two years when he received his appointment, in 1958, as Parish Priest of Croydon. It can be seen that he was rather a young priest to have a parish of that size and complexity. Michael remained there until retirement in 1993.
Parish Priest of Croydon
Croydon was a struggling parish of the post-war era. The Church of St Margaret Mary on Torrens Road was in fact a former wooden army hut of weatherboard construction. The priests, Michael Murphy and Robert Egar, lived in the house at 27 Tungara Avenue. This had been built a few years before by Fr Thomas Daly.
It was a compact structure but adequate by the standards of the day for two priests and a housekeeper. Its one drawback was that it was located directly south of both the Sewage Farm and the Boiling Down works. This was particularly evident on a hot
Summer’s day with a north wind blowing.
The second
Church in the parish, St Philomena’s at Woodville Gardens, was an L-shaped galvanised iron building. Alongside both Church sites there were schools, conducted by the Sisters of St Joseph. The nine sisters had an old house on Torrens Road, which served as a convent.
Michael took up the challenge of this parish with great zeal, vision, pastoral enthusiasm and organisational skill, all of which developed and flourished during the period of his incumbency. Migrants from Italy and Poland occupied many streets in Croydon, Dudley Park, Woodville Gardens and Mansfield Park.
The native born Australians and earlier-settled English and Irish families were also attempting to resume life after the disruption of World War II.
Michael, the builder – of structures and community
Michael was a builder. The brick and mortar projects were, however, never an end in themselves. They were intended as, and became, instruments to create community. These material achievements were as follows: St Philomena’s Church, Woodville Gardens, was replaced by the simple but impressive red brick Corpus Christi Church in Hookings Terrace.
It was opened in 1962. That same year Michael was given permission to build St Patrick’s School/Church in Dudley Street, Mansfield Park, which was opened March 17, 1964. An extra classroom at St Philomena’s School was also added in 1964.
The long awaited new St Margaret Mary’s Church and presbytery were opened in 1969, the year of Michael’s silver jubilee. At the opening, Archbishop Beovich described the Church as a “noble parish Church”.
It was a Church that reflected beautifully the vision of Vatican II as a place of worship. The art work was by Voitre Marek who worked in copper and marble. Above the altar, facing the people in the best post-Vatican II tradition, was suspended a huge statue of Christ the Priest.
The tabernacle housing the Eucharist was graced with symbols of the Trinity, reflecting the most contemporary theology. Balancing this on the opposite side of the sanctuary was the baptismal font which represented the community of the world-wide Church. Above it was placed a statue of Mary, Mother of the Church.
The presbytery with its separate suites for priests, each comprising office and bedroom, along with interview rooms and meeting room, set a new standard in priestly accommodation. In that year, also, the two-storey convent in Eldon Street was built. It proved to be the last built in Adelaide. After this, Sisters were domiciled in separate units.
A charism for catechesis
Michael gave special emphasis to the apostolate of catechesis among the state school children. In January of each year he organised a Summer school which was held at St Margaret Mary’s school, at which 200-300 students came for lessons, bussed in by private buses from all over the extensive parish. The Sisters of Saint Joseph gave several hours each day over 10 days to evangelise these young pupils.
Many were prepared for Communion and Confirmation at this time. And a good number who had been pupils in earlier schools returned in subsequent years to be monitors and bus supervisors.
Michael was an avid student of the literature from America that was published under the auspices of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. This literature was provided for catechists to distribute in Secondary Schools and formed the basis of the once-a-week lessons. It was also the basis for some 20 adult discussion groups in the parish, which flourished for many years.
To such group apostolates, Michael added an indefatigable ministry of visitation of the families in his parish. Many an afternoon, after a post-prandial nap, would see him disappearing out the door of the presbytery with a clutch of blue address cards in his hand to guide him on the day’s pastoral visitation.
Needless to say, he insisted that each of his successive curates do likewise. Such familiarity with his parishioners led to an easy and warm relationship which was evident on the occasion of the many busy bees he organised to service and upgrade parish plant.
Not all work and no play
But it must be said, it was not all a matter of work and no play. Michael was a keen golfer, though not an entirely consummate one. His grip on his clubs resembled nothing so much as a Hurly stick grip. This meant that Michael’s game was impressive in its long hitting, though less so in its accuracy.
He loved nothing so much as to get away for a few days to the Middleton holiday house which he co-owned with several of his Irish colleagues. While he was there he would play rounds of golf on the picturesque Victor Harbor course and sometimes go fishing in the Murray Mouth.
Service to the wider Archdiocese
Michael’s talents were also recognised in the wider diocese. In 1971 he was appointed as a Consultor to the Archbishop. He held that position until 1977. He was also a member of the Council of Sites and Architecture from 1966 to 1982. In 1983, he was appointed to the St Francis Xavier Seminary Board. Michael retired in 1993, with the title of Pastor Emeritus, to the Villa Beovich at Myrtle Bank. He died at Ashford Hospital on October 29, 1995.
Requiem and interment
His Requiem Mass was held November 1 at St Margaret Mary’s Church. The celebrant, Archbishop Faulkner, gave voice to these tributes about Michael’s ministry:
"Father Murphy was a man with deep concern for people and with a love for the Church. Migrant families received special love and care from him – he arranged for regular Masses in Polish and in Italian to be celebrated here in St Margaret Mary’s Church. He also had special respect and pastoral love for the Vietnamese people who have come to live in this area. Father Murphy ... knew what it was to be a migrant!"
And again:
"For many of you, the memories about Fr Murphy will be of him celebrating Masses and the Sacraments, his faithfulness to his people, especially in times of sickness and death, his encouragement to lay people to take on leadership in this parish ... you have also shared our joy in his gift of Irish humour.
Michael Moling Murphy was buried in Dudley Park cemetery within the bounds of Croydon parish. The parish was his home for many years of life; now it was to be in death.
May he rest in peace. |
