Michael Joseph Murphy

Michael Joseph Murphy (July 1, 1915 – April 3, 2007) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of Erie in Pennsylvania, from 1982 to 1990. He previously served as coadjutor bishop of Erie from 1978 to 1982 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1976 to 1878.

Early life and education Michael Murphy was born on July 1, 1915, in Cleveland, Ohio, the only child of William and Mary Bridget (née Patton) Murphy. His father was a first-generation Irish American whereas his mother was an immigrant from Achill Island, County Mayo in Ireland. Michael attended St. Rose and St. James Grade Schools in Cleveland, and graduated from Cathedral Latin High School in 1933. After finishing at St. Mary's, Murphy went to Rome to further his studies at the Pontifical North American College and Pontifical Gregorian University. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy were interrupted in 1940 by World War II. Returning to the United States, Murphy entered the Theological College of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Following his ordination, the diocese sent Murphy back to Catholic University to complete his graduate studies. As an auxiliary bishop, he served as episcopal vicar for Summit County with residence in Akron. In 1985, Murphy launched a spiritual growth process called RENEW, which attracted the participation of more than 20,000 people throughout the diocese and lasted until 1988. Both Murphy and his successor Donald Trautman often reassigned Gawronski to different parishes between 1987 and 2002.

Later life and death Approaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Murphy resigned as bishop of Erie on June 2, 1990, after an eight-year-long tenure. He spent his 16 years of retirement at St. Patrick Parish in Erie. He died on April 3, 2007 at the infirmary of the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse in Erie, at age 91.

Viewpoints A promoter of the consistent life ethic, Murphy opposed both abortion and the death penalty. He wrote an open letter to Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornburgh in 1986 voicing his opposition to the death penalty, saying, "We are disappointed, frightened, angered even to the point of vengeance when the lives of others become so warped and twisted that they have become destructive of life itself. We wonder why the gift of life was given to them. But the gift is not ours. Neither is it ours to say, 'They do not deserve to live!'" In a 1989 Christmas message, Murphy declared, "As a means to the peace which He promises us and indeed has made possible for us, may the Prince of Peace gift all of us and our nation with a real awareness of the sacredness of all human life, unborn no less than born."