Bishop Francis Murphy

The Irish Catholic Directory of 1859, includes the following entry on Bishop Murphy:

“This learned, amiable, and enlightened man, was born at the end of the last century, in Navan diocese and County of Meath, Ireland.

After receiving the first lessons of religion and piety from his ever respected pastor, the great and very good Very Rev. Dr. E. O’Reilly, V.G. he entered the famous seminary in his native town, founded by that distinguished man, and after a few years was sent to the Royal College of St. Patrick, Maynooth. He so signally distinguished himself there by his piety, attention, and talents, that he was appointed to the Dunboyne establishment, and there obtained the accustomed honours.

About 1824, he was ordained for the English mission, and officiated in “ the Sister land” as a most active curate, in a locality where there had been no Catholic priest since the formal establishment by violence and rapine of the Reformation. Subsequently, he was appointed t0o the important mission of Liverpool. Where so many thousands of his countrymen were instructed by his lessons of wisdom, and edified by his brilliant virtues and example. Here, for about seven years, he was deemed an apostle, and when entreated by the illustrious archbishop of Sydney to join his Grace, in his far distant labours, the addresses from, and the sights and tears of thousands of bereaved people, were most moving and affecting.

In Australia, his soul expanded like the world of waters over which he had passed, and he wished like his own great apostle, St. Patrick, to make every sacrifice for the faith and faithful of Christ.”