Rev. Paul Michael Murphy, much beloved parish priest of St. Joseph Church at Emmitsburg suffered a fatal heart attack on the morning of November 12, 2009. This coming May 26, Fr. Paul would have celebrated fifty years of priesthood of the Catholic Church in the religious community of the Congregation of the Mission, commonly known as the Vincentian Fathers and Brothers. This gentle man served God’s Catholic and non-Catholic people wherever he ministered. “His life was his homily,” notes one of his admiring and grateful parishioners.
Fr. Paul received his primary education at Holy Rosary/Our Lady of Good Counsel School at Brooklyn, N.Y., and his high school education at St. John’s Preparatory School at Brooklyn, N.Y. He made his religious profession of the vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and stability in the Vincentian Community on June 11, 1954. After completing studies in philosophy and theology, he was ordained a priest on May 26, 1960. He earned a licentiate in philosophy at the University of Fribourg at Switzerland in 1963.
During Fr. Paul’s almost half-century of priesthood, he served as instructor and Director of Novices at St. Vincent de Paul Novitiate at Ridgefield, CT and Mary Immaculate Seminary at Northampton, PA (1963-1967); a preacher of parish missions, novenas, and retreats at Springfield, MA (1967-1968), Groveport, OH (1968-1969), at Spring Lake, MI (1969-1971), and at Philadelphia (1972-1974). Fr. Paul taught part-time at Niagara University at Niagara Falls, NY (1975-81) and at St. John’s University, Staten Island, N.Y. (1981-88). Outgoing to everyone and easily approachable, Fr. Paul served as parish priest in St. Mary’s Church at Greensboro, NC (1988-89), Immaculate Conception Church at Philadelphia, PA (1971-1972, 1989-91) in pastoral ministry at St. Vincent’s Seminary (1991-2007), and in St. Joseph Church at Emmitsburg, MD (2007-2009).
Having been predeceased by his parents Michael and Bridget McKevitt Murphy and his brother Owen, he is survived by his two sisters Margaret Moran and Eileen Crowley, both of whom reside at Queens, N.Y., and by 5 nieces and 5 nephews.
The viewings will take place at St. Joseph Church, 47 DePaul Street, Emmitsburg, MD on both Sunday, November 15, 2-4 P.M. and 7-9 P.M., with wake service and the rosary at 3 P.M. and 8 P.M., and on Monday from 9 A.M. until 10 A.M. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, November 16, at 10 A.M., at the church.
At St. John’s University in Queens, New York City, a viewing will take place at St. Thomas More Church on Tuesday, November 17 from 3-5 P.M. and 7-9 P.M., and on November 18, with the Mass of the Resurrection at 10:30 A.M. Interment will be held at the Vincentian Cemetery at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Princeton, N.J. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Fr. Paul may be made to Central Association of the Miraculous Medal, 500 East Chelten Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144 or to St. Joseph Church for the benefit of the Poor, P.O. Box 376, Emmitsburg, MD 21727.
Local arrangements are by the Myers-Durboraw Funeral Home in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
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Fr. Paul received his primary education at Holy Rosary/Our Lady of Good Counsel School at Brooklyn, N.Y., and his high school education at St. John’s Preparatory School at Brooklyn, N.Y. He made his religious profession of the vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and stability in the Vincentian Community on June 11, 1954. After completing studies in philosophy and theology, he was ordained a priest on May 26, 1960. He earned a licentiate in philosophy at the University of Fribourg at Switzerland in 1963.
During Fr. Paul’s almost half-century of priesthood, he served as instructor and Director of Novices at St. Vincent de Paul Novitiate at Ridgefield, CT and Mary Immaculate Seminary at Northampton, PA (1963-1967); a preacher of parish missions, novenas, and retreats at Springfield, MA (1967-1968), Groveport, OH (1968-1969), at Spring Lake, MI (1969-1971), and at Philadelphia (1972-1974). Fr. Paul taught part-time at Niagara University at Niagara Falls, NY (1975-81) and at St. John’s University, Staten Island, N.Y. (1981-88). Outgoing to everyone and easily approachable, Fr. Paul served as parish priest in St. Mary’s Church at Greensboro, NC (1988-89), Immaculate Conception Church at Philadelphia, PA (1971-1972, 1989-91) in pastoral ministry at St. Vincent’s Seminary (1991-2007), and in St. Joseph Church at Emmitsburg, MD (2007-2009).
Having been predeceased by his parents Michael and Bridget McKevitt Murphy and his brother Owen, he is survived by his two sisters Margaret Moran and Eileen Crowley, both of whom reside at Queens, N.Y., and by 5 nieces and 5 nephews.
The viewings will take place at St. Joseph Church, 47 DePaul Street, Emmitsburg, MD on both Sunday, November 15, 2-4 P.M. and 7-9 P.M., with wake service and the rosary at 3 P.M. and 8 P.M., and on Monday from 9 A.M. until 10 A.M. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, November 16, at 10 A.M., at the church.
At St. John’s University in Queens, New York City, a viewing will take place at St. Thomas More Church on Tuesday, November 17 from 3-5 P.M. and 7-9 P.M., and on November 18, with the Mass of the Resurrection at 10:30 A.M. Interment will be held at the Vincentian Cemetery at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Princeton, N.J. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Fr. Paul may be made to Central Association of the Miraculous Medal, 500 East Chelten Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144 or to St. Joseph Church for the benefit of the Poor, P.O. Box 376, Emmitsburg, MD 21727.
Local arrangements are by the Myers-Durboraw Funeral Home in Emmitsburg, Maryland.