Father John Thaddeus Murphy, O.P., died late in the evening on January 17, 2017, at Mount Carmel East Hospital, Columbus, OH, at the age of 89. For over fifty years of dedicated ministry, Fr. Murphy served as associate pastor, high school teacher, assistant Third Order director, missionary in Peru, monastery chaplain, shine director, itinerate preacher, pastor, local superior, guild director, and hospital chaplain.

Father Murphy was born on October 20, 1927, in Detroit, MI, to Thomas and Mary (née Daly) Murphy and named John Daly. He attended St. Benedict Grammar School in Highland Park, MI, St. Dominic Grammar School in Detroit, MI, and St. Leo High School, also in Detroit.  He attended Providence College from 1945 to 1947, as a Guzman Hall pre-ecclesiastical student.

He entered the Dominican Novitiate in August 1947 at St. Rose Priory in Springfield, KY, and received the religious name Thaddeus. He made his first profession at St. Rose on August 5, 1948, and his solemn profession at Sea Bright, NJ, on August 5, 1951. He studied philosophy at St. Joseph Priory in Somerset, OH, before going on to the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception (PFIC) in Washington, DC, to study theology.  On June 12, 1954, he was ordained a priest at St. Dominic’s Church in Washington, DC.

In 1955, Fr. Murphy was assigned to St. Mary Priory in New Haven, CT, where he served at St. Mary Parish.  While assigned there he also earned a certificate from the Institute of Spiritual Theology in River Forest, IL.  In 1960, he was assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas House in Columbus, OH, and taught at Aquinas College High School.  In 1963, he was assigned to St. Vincent Ferrer Priory in New York City, where he served as assist provincial director of the Third Order and assistant editor of the Torch, journal of the Third Order.

In 1965, Fr. Murphy attended the Institute of Intercultural Relations in Cuernavaca, Mexico and then was assigned to San Jose Obrero Catholic Mission in Chimbote, Peru.  He served there as a missionary for six years. 

He returned to the United States and on March 14, 1972, was assigned to St. Dominic Parish in Detroit, MI.  On January 17, 1974, he was assigned to St. Mary Priory in New Haven, CT, with residence at Our Lady of Grace Monastery in North Guildford, CT, where he served as chaplain.  In 1978, he moved into St. Mary Priory and began serving as the Director of the Shine of Infant of Prague while engaging part time in itinerant preaching.  On April 7, 1980, he was assigned to Sacred Heart Priory in Jersey City, NJ, and began itinerant preaching full time. 

On September 1, 1982, Fr. Murphy was appointed superior of St. Raymond’s Rectory in Province, RI, and was appointed pastor of the parish.  He served there until the Province returned the administration of the parish to the Diocese of Providence in January of 1987. 

On February 13, 1987, he was assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas Rectory in Zanesville, OH, where he served as associate pastor. On October 15, 1988, he was assigned to St. Vincent Ferrer Priory in New York City and was appointed Executive Director of Operations for the Dominican Friar’s Guild and Director of the St. Martin de Porres Guild. On September 1, 1989, Fr. Murphy was assigned to St. Patrick Rectory in Columbus, OH, but for health reasons had to remain in New York.  On October 20, 1989, he was assigned instead to St. Catherine of Siena Priory in New York City, where he assisted with hospital and parochial ministry for eight years.

On September 12, 2008, Fr. Murphy was assigned to St. Dominic Priory in Washington, DC, to provide better for his health care needs.  In October of 2012, he moved to the Mohun Health Care Center in Columbus, OH, and was assigned to St. Patrick Rectory.

Fr. Murphy’s body will be received in the Chapel of the Mohun Health Care Center, St. Mary of the Springs, 2340 Airport Drive, Columbus, OH, at 10:30 am on Monday, January 23, 2017. A memorial Mass will be celebrated there at 11:00 am. Fr. Murphy's body will be received at Monday night at 7:00 pm at St Patrick Church, 280 North Grant Ave, Columbus, Ohio where The Office of the Dead will be celebrated that evening at 7:15 pm. Visitation will be held from 7:30-9:00 pm. On Tuesday, January 24, 2017 morning prayers will be held at 8:00 am followed by visitation from 8:30 until the time of Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am celebrated at St. Patrick Church with Very Rev. Kenneth Letoile, O.P., Prior Provincial, as the principal celebrant.  Interment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, Somerset, OH. For those wishing, donations may be made to the Dominican Foundation, Fr. John Thaddeus Murphy O.P. Memorial Fund, 141 E. 65th St., New York, NY 10065. 

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