Dan Conway’s The Good Steward

Dan Conway’s The Good Steward
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Friday, March 16, 2018

Courtesy of Brian Murphy, the archbishop’s nephew, who has dedicated himself to preserving and carrying forward the legacy of this wonderful man. 


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Come visit the 2.0 version of the Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy Archive

Archbishop Murphy High School proudly introduces the 2.0 version of the Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy Archive. The archive is a cutting-edge resource intended for use by all members of the AMHS community including students, parents, alumni, faculty and administration.

“It is an honor and privilege for our school to serve as the caretaker of this unique collection of documents written by our namesake,” said AMHS president Steve Schmutz. “It is my hope that all members of the greater AMHS community and our partner parish schools will visit the archive often to learn more about Archbishop Murphy, 
deepen their faith in Christ and to gain a greater appreciation of the mission and ministry of the Catholic Church.”

What we have created here is unique. The 2.0 archive has no peer. It contains more than 1,100 of Archbishop Murphy’s written works including homilies, prayers, blessings, personal essays, weekly newspaper columns and addresses/speeches. The archive spans the period from 1973 to 1997 covering four phases of the archbishop’s life and ministry:

  • Priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago and Rector of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary: 1973 to 1978
  • Bishop of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, MT: 1978 to 1987
  • Coadjutor Archbishop of Seattle: 1987 to 1991
  • Archbishop of Seattle: 1991 to 1997
The documents address a wide variety of topics that remain at the forefront of discussion and dialogue to this very day. They fall into one of 39 subject categories. Some of the more prominent subjects are the Eucharist, reconciliation, stewardship, the gift of life, Catholic education, the parish community and ministry to young people.

“My brother had a deep passion for the mission and ministry of Catholic education throughout his life,” said his sister Eileen Frey. “It fills me with great pride and joy to know this archive will provide current and future AMHS students the opportunity to view this comprehensive collection of his written works.”

“Our overarching goal in developing the 2.0 archive was to create an environment where users can find, read and share content in a simple and meaningful way,” said the archbishop’s nephew and project leader Brian J. Murphy. One of the most innovative features is the archive’s adaptive design. It automatically adjusts to the type of device being used, whether desktop computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone, in order to optimize the user experience. Users can search for documents in a multitude of ways including by keyword, document type, subject and publication. All documents are in PDF format. They can easily be shared via e-mail and text message. The archive also provides the option of seamlessly posting a link to one or more documents on Facebook, Linked in and/or Twitter.

In addition to Archbishop Murphy High School, a number of other organizations played a material role in building the 2.0 archive. “On behalf of the Murphy family, I express our heartfelt gratitude to the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, MT, the Archdiocese of Seattle and the University of St. Mary of the Lake for their generous assistance,” said the archbishop’s sister-in-law Carolyn Murphy. “Due to these organizations and the efforts of so many others, Archbishop Murphy’s written works will now be available to current and future generations of people from all faiths and walks of life”

The archive is one component of the Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy Virtual Library. Other components are the archbishop’s curriculum vitae, an interactive timeline of his life and ministry and an interactive version of his episcopal coat of arms.

Upon being appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Great Falls, MT, Bishop-Elect Murphy chose the episcopal motto “In Christ Joy and Hope.” These words are so fitting when thinking about them in relation to the 2.0 archive. This collection of documents is a celebration of the joy and hope the church offers to all of God’s children. They underscore one of the fundamental tenets of the archbishop’s ministry: that the church can make a difference in the lives of all people.

About Archbishop Murphy

Thomas J. Murphy was born on October 3, 1932. His parents, Bartholomew and Nellie Murphy, emigrated from County Kerry, Ireland to America in the early 1900s. They met and were married in Chicago and settled on the city’s West Side. Archbishop Murphy had an older brother Bartholomew and younger sister Eileen.

Upon graduation from Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary School in Chicago, IL, Tom Murphy matriculated to St. Mary of the Lake Seminary where he earned bachelors and masters degrees in divinity. Samuel Cardinal Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago, ordained him in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception on April 12, 1958. Post ordination, he continued his studies at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary earning a doctorate in sacred theology. Reverend Murphy returned to Mundelein to serve as president and rector from 1973 to 1978 after being appointed to the position by John Cardinal Cody, Archbishop of Chicago.

Pope Paul VI appointed the Very Reverend Thomas J. Murphy as the 5th Bishop of the Diocese of Great Falls, MT in July of 1978. After serving the Church of Eastern Montana for more than eight years, Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Murphy as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Seattle in May of 1987. He became the acting ordinary Archbishop of Seattle in August of 1991. Archbishop Murphy died on June 26, 1997. His mortal remains are interred in the Episcopal Crypt beneath the main altar of St. James Cathedral in Seattle, WA.

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