Deceased Friars

Columba Murphy, OFM

Columba Murphy

1912 – 2001

Fr. Columba Murphy, OFM, was born Jan. 12, 1912 in Brooklyn, N.Y. He entered the novitiate at St. Bonaventure Friary, Paterson, N.J., in 1935, professing temporary vows one year later. Fr. Columba made his solemn profession in 1939 and was ordained in 1941.

His first decade as a priest was spent as an instructor in German, first at Siena College, Loudonville, N.Y., then at St. Bonaventure University, Allegany, N.Y. During his long priesthood, he served in five parishes, four as parochial vicar: St. Benedict, Winston-Salem, N.C., St. Patrick, Buffalo, N.Y., Holy Angels, Little Falls, N.J., Assumption, Wood-Ridge, N.J. He also served as pastor of St. Mary of the Angels Parish, Anderson, S.C.

Fr. Columba ministered in two shrine churches: St. Anthony, Boston and Our Lady’s Chapel, New Bedford, Mass. He also spent 16 years as chaplain at St. Mary’s Hospital, West Palm Beach, Fla., St. Mary’s Hospital, Hoboken, N.J., and New Jersey State Hospital, Greystone Park. He retired in 1992 to St. Anthony Friary, St. Petersburg, Fla.

He died on Jan. 31, 2001 at St. Anthony Hospital, St. Petersburg. Fr. Columba was 89 years old, a professed friar for 64 years and a priest for 59 years.

Each of us should be called a lesser brother, a Friar Minor. Each one of us should wash the feet of the others.”

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Columba Murphy, OFM

Columba Murphy

1912 – 2001

Fr. Columba Murphy, OFM, was born Jan. 12, 1912 in Brooklyn, N.Y. He entered the novitiate at St. Bonaventure Friary, Paterson, N.J., in 1935, professing temporary vows one year later. Fr. Columba made his solemn profession in 1939 and was ordained in 1941.

His first decade as a priest was spent as an instructor in German, first at Siena College, Loudonville, N.Y., then at St. Bonaventure University, Allegany, N.Y. During his long priesthood, he served in five parishes, four as parochial vicar: St. Benedict, Winston-Salem, N.C., St. Patrick, Buffalo, N.Y., Holy Angels, Little Falls, N.J., Assumption, Wood-Ridge, N.J. He also served as pastor of St. Mary of the Angels Parish, Anderson, S.C.

Fr. Columba ministered in two shrine churches: St. Anthony, Boston and Our Lady’s Chapel, New Bedford, Mass. He also spent 16 years as chaplain at St. Mary’s Hospital, West Palm Beach, Fla., St. Mary’s Hospital, Hoboken, N.J., and New Jersey State Hospital, Greystone Park. He retired in 1992 to St. Anthony Friary, St. Petersburg, Fla.

He died on Jan. 31, 2001 at St. Anthony Hospital, St. Petersburg. Fr. Columba was 89 years old, a professed friar for 64 years and a priest for 59 years.