William Murphy (Bishop of Saginaw)

William Murphy was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to William and Mary (née Gibson) Murphy.[1] His parents were Irish immigrants who came to the United States from County Wexford.[2] One of ten children, Murphy was the youngest child and only son; three of his sisters became nuns.[2] He received his early education at the parochial school of St. Augustine's Church and at Lefevre Institute in his native city.[3]

He made his collegiate studies in Ontario, Canada, at St. Jerome's College in Kitchener and at Assumption College in Sandwich.[1] He was then sent by Bishop John Samuel Foley to study theology in Rome, where he attended the Pontifical North American College and the Urban College of Propaganda.[1] He earned a Doctor of Sacred Theology from the Urban College in 1908, and a Licentiate of Canon Law from the Pontifical Athenaeum S. Apollinare in 1909.[1]

On June 13, 1908, Murphy was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Pietro Respighi at the Basilica of St. John Lateran.[4] He celebrated his first Mass at the tomb of Saint Peter.[2] Upon his return to Michigan in 1910, he served as a curate at St. Thomas Church in Ann Arbor for two years.[1] He then served at Holy Cross Church in Marine City (1912–1919) and SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Detroit (1919–1921) before becoming the founding pastor of St. David Church.[5]

In addition to his pastoral duties, Murphy served as master of ceremonies to Bishop Michael Gallagher.[2] He was raised to the rank of a Domestic Prelate in July 1934.[1] He also served as a member of the Michigan Historical Commission, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Detroit in 1930.[5] In 1937, Archbishop Edward Mooney named him censor of Father Charles Coughlin, and Murphy served as intermediary between Mooney and Coughlin in negotiations about Coughlin's return to radio.[6]

On February 26, 1938, Murphy was appointed the first Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Saginaw by Pope Pius XI.[4] He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 17 from Archbishop Mooney, with Bishops John A. Duffy and Joseph C. Plagens serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.[4] He selected as his episcopal motto: Agenda ademple (Latin: "To Fulfill One's Duties").[3]

During his administration, Murphy established offices of Catholic Charities in Saginaw, Bay City, Alpena, and Bad Axe, and the Diocese of Saginaw gained a widespread reputation for social and charitable work among the poor.[2] He also organized the Mexican Apostolate to address the spiritual concerns of Catholic migrant workers, and encouraged drives for money, food, and clothing for World War II victims in Europe.[2] During one Christmas message, he said, "Christ began His mission of saving and redeeming the human race by being born in the squalor of a stable. He ennobled poverty."[2]

He was a close friend of poet Edgar Guest with whom he often golfed and fished. It was Guest who wrote of Murphy: "A bishop, bass upon his hook, Rod bent and taut line swishing, Without his robe and shepherd's crook Is just a man out fishing."[2]

Murphy died at age 64.