Mark Murphy

Br. Mark Murphy died at 9.50pm on the Feast of the Transfiguration, August 6, at Greenwich Hospital. He was just 66. The words of the feast day are resounding in heaven: “this is my beloved son…”.

Jeff Barrington and John Curry from the Eastwood Community were with him when he breathed his last.

Mark James Murphy was born in Casino, NSW, on 28th September 1951. He was the eldest of four boys born to Kathleen and James Murphy. Of his brothers and their families, Warren lives in Coffs Harbour, Michael in Casino and Peter in Wauchope. He was close to them all and to their families. The Murphy’s were simple, decent people. They experienced difficulties but found support in staying together and helping one another. After the death of their parents, Mark was the main contact point, the family connector and unifier.

Completing his secondary education at Marist Brothers Lismore in 1969, he began a short 3 months Postulancy the next year and then entered the Mittagong Novitiate in March 1970. He took his first vows at St Joseph’s on 6 th March 1971. Others professed on the same day were Tony Boyd, Mark Farrelly RIP, Chris Hogan, Daniel Hollamby, Michael Flanagan, Graham Neist. It was the same year that Tony Caddy, John Dyson and Paul Gilchrist took vows in the Melbourne Province. He professed his final vows in 1979 at Casino.

Finishing his Scholasticate after completing a BA Dip Ed. at Macquarie University, Mark spent the first six years of his ministry in Primary schools (Cairns and Queanbeyan) and then moved into Secondary education, where he remained until the start of this year. His communities were varied: Ayr, Enoggera, Windsor, Grafton, Lismore, Emerald and finally Eastwood. He specialised in Religious Education and the role of Campus Minister. He was also an experienced and attentive Community Leader filling this position at Winston Hills, Lismore and Emerald. He was always a brother first, and then the leader. His final appointment was to Eastwood, and it was here that he began a new role, after completing the necessary study, as counsellor. During these final 6 years he seemed to reach a new level of contentment and peace.