Papal knight and former Palmerston North diocesan manager Tony Murphy passed away on November 20, 2021. He was 69.
Tony Murphy
Mr Murphy served as the diocesan general manager for 18 years. Acknowledging his services, he was made a Knight of the Order of St Gregory the Great in May which, in all humility, he “struggled to comprehend” how he deserved that.
A requiem Mass was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit on November 24, with Msgr Brian Walsh presiding. The Mass was concelebrated by Cardinal John Dew, Bishops Peter Cullinane and Owen Dolan, Fr Craig Butler, and other priests of Palmerston North diocese.
Before the Mass and at the beginning of his homily, Mgsr Walsh acknowledged Mr Murphy’s wife Denise and his (Mr Murphy’s) family and friends.
In the homily, Msgr Walsh focused on the Scripture readings chosen by the family. He started with Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8, which talked about “the wonderful caring and creating hand of God working through the events of life and time, as in Tony’s life”.
Msgr Walsh spoke about Jesus’ victory over sin and death, saying “Tony lives on now, sharing in that great victory” as Mr Murphy trusted in Jesus’s promises.
At the conclusion of his homily, Msgr Walsh referred to the words of Jesus to Martha and Mary at the death of their brother, Lazarus.
“’I am the Resurrection and the Life . . . do you believe this?’ Their response then, and our response now as we farewell and pray for Tony, can surely be, ‘yes, Lord, we believe’,” he said.
Mr Murphy served under Bishops Cullinane, Dolan, Charles Drennan and Cardinal Dew.
He was also a member of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference finance committee, a committee member for the New Zealand Catholic Insurance Scheme, and an executive chairman for a committee establishing a new Catholic Education Office in Palmerston North.
“He was highly respected by everyone,” Msgr Walsh said.
Mr Murphy stepped down from his role as diocesan general manager on January 31, after his cancer diagnosis.
At his investiture as a papal knight on May 11, Mr Murphy said that he was “shocked, very surprised and humbled”.
“I got paid for my work and struggled to comprehend how I deserved it when a lot of other people — particularly volunteers — do very good work and aren’t recognised,” he said then.
Mr Murphy had been involved in many community organisations, including being chairman of the Manawatu Rugby Union from 2005 to 2011.
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