John Tuohill Murphy

{{Short description|Irish Roman Catholic priest}}

{{Short description|Irish Roman Catholic priest}}

{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}

{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}

{{Infobox Christian leader

{{Infobox Christian leader

| type = Bishop

| type = Bishop

| diocese =

| diocese =

| see =

| see =

| term = 8 July 1916 – 16 April 1926
({{Age in years and months|1916|07|08|1926|04|16}})

| term = 8 July 1916 – 16 April 1926 />({{Age in years and months|1916|07|08|1926|04|16}})

| predecessor = Jacques Leen, C.S.Sp.

| predecessor = Jacques Leen, C.S.Sp.

| successor = James Bilsborrow, O.S.B.

| successor = James Bilsborrow, O.S.B.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1926|04|16|1854|06|24}}

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1926|04|16|1854|06|24}}

| death_place = Port Louis, Mauritius

| death_place = Port Louis, Mauritius

| previous_post = President of Pittsburgh Catholic College
1886–1899
'''predecessor''': [[John Willms]]
'''successor''': [[Martin Hehir]]

| previous_post = President of Pittsburgh Catholic College />1886–1899 />'''predecessor''': [[John Willms]] />'''successor''': [[Martin Hehir]]

}}

}}

The success Murphy enjoyed in education at Blackrock inspired his assignment in 1886 to [[Pittsburgh]], where he was sent to help the struggling Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost.{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=366}} Murphy was to remain at the college for thirteen years in the role of rector or president (the use of one title over the other was fairly contentious at the time).{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=366}}

The success Murphy enjoyed in education at Blackrock inspired his assignment in 1886 to [[Pittsburgh]], where he was sent to help the struggling Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost.{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=366}} Murphy was to remain at the college for thirteen years in the role of rector or president (the use of one title over the other was fairly contentious at the time).{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=366}}

Murphy was installed on 19 August 1886, and found staff morale dangerously low.{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=366}}{{sfn|Rishel|Demilio|1997|p=5}} A great issue of dissatisfaction was related to the school's curriculum. Although Murphy had been educated under a philosophy that stressed [[Classics|classical studies]] for the purpose of producing cultured gentlemen, he soon learned that the children of Pittsburgh's Catholic immigrants were not yet being admitted to the professions of law and medicine that merited this type of study.{{sfn|Rishel|Demilio|1997|p=5}} Rather, a college education was seen as upward mobility from manual labour to [[White-collar worker|white-collar]] office jobs: thus, the "commercial" course had always been the most popular.{{sfn|Rishel|Demilio|1997|p=5–6}}

Murphy was installed on 19 August 1886, and found staff morale dangerously low.{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=366}}{{sfn|Rishel|Demilio|1997|p=5}} A great issue of dissatisfaction was related to the school's curriculum. Although Murphy had been educated under a philosophy that stressed [[Classics|classical studies]] for the purpose of producing cultured gentlemen, he soon learned that the children of Pittsburgh's Catholic immigrants were not yet being admitted to the professions of law and medicine that merited this type of study.{{sfn|Rishel|Demilio|1997|p=5}} Rather, a college education was seen as upward mobility from manual labour to [[White-collar worker|white-collar]] office jobs: thus, the "commercial" course had always been the most popular.{{sfn|Rishel|Demilio|1997|pp=5–6}}

In response to this atmosphere, one of Murphy's first acts upon arriving to Pittsburgh was to conduct a survey of the students at the college. He concluded that more courses in [[physics]] and [[chemistry]] were needed, and established a well-appointed laboratory.{{sfn|Rishel|Demilio|1997|p=6}} Murphy enlarged the Classics and Commercial departments, and added courses in dramatics, debating, and elocution; the college's first [[bachelor's degree]]s were conferred in 1889.{{sfn|Rishel|Demilio|1997|p=6}} Murphy's great love of public speaking inspired him to personally direct a production of [[Euripides]]' ''[[Alcestis (play)|Alcestis]]'' in the [[ancient Greek|original Greek]] in 1891. Though that sort of production was not well-suited to Pittsburgh's working-class population, the play was a success, and earned the college $1,000—most likely because Murphy had decided to provide verbal introductions in English before each act.

In response to this atmosphere, one of Murphy's first acts upon arriving to Pittsburgh was to conduct a survey of the students at the college. He concluded that more courses in [[physics]] and [[chemistry]] were needed, and established a well-appointed laboratory.{{sfn|Rishel|Demilio|1997|p=6}} Murphy enlarged the Classics and Commercial departments, and added courses in dramatics, debating, and elocution; the college's first [[bachelor's degree]]s were conferred in 1889.{{sfn|Rishel|Demilio|1997|p=6}} Murphy's great love of public speaking inspired him to personally direct a production of [[Euripides]]' ''[[Alcestis (play)|Alcestis]]'' in the [[ancient Greek|original Greek]] in 1891. Though that sort of production was not well-suited to Pittsburgh's working-class population, the play was a success, and earned the college $1,000—most likely because Murphy had decided to provide verbal introductions in English before each act.

==Bishop of Port Louis==

==Bishop of Port Louis==

[[Pope Benedict XV]] accorded Murphy the rare honour of a Doctorate of Theology "[[Autodidacticism|Autodidactic]]" in 1916.{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=367}} In the same year, he was appointed the bishop of Port Louis, Mauritius. He was ordained to that bishopric in Dublin's [[St Mary's Cathedral, Dublin|pro-cathedral]]. Upon arriving in Mauritius, one of Murphy's first acts was to introduce the [[Congregation for the Causes of Saints|cause of canonisation]] for Father [[Jacques-Désiré Laval]].{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=367}} In 1920, Murphy built a seminary at [[Quatre Bornes]], which later became a lay college. As bishop, Murphy was especially noted for his concern for the poor and sick—he regularly visited the infirm in their homes and hospitals, and put pressure on municipal authorities to provide water and roads in poor areas.{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=367–368}} When his health began to fail, he requested a [[coadjutor bishop]] and was given Father [[James Leen]], C.S.Sp. Murphy died in Port Louis on 16 April 1926, at the age of 71.{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=368}}

[[Pope Benedict XV]] accorded Murphy the rare honour of a Doctorate of Theology "[[Autodidacticism|Autodidactic]]" in 1916.{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=367}} In the same year, he was appointed the bishop of Port Louis, Mauritius. He was ordained to that bishopric in Dublin's [[St Mary's Cathedral, Dublin|pro-cathedral]]. Upon arriving in Mauritius, one of Murphy's first acts was to introduce the [[Congregation for the Causes of Saints|cause of canonisation]] for Father [[Jacques-Désiré Laval]].{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=367}} In 1920, Murphy built a seminary at [[Quatre Bornes]], which later became a lay college. As bishop, Murphy was especially noted for his concern for the poor and sick—he regularly visited the infirm in their homes and hospitals, and put pressure on municipal authorities to provide water and roads in poor areas.{{sfn|Farragher|2006|pp=367–368}} When his health began to fail, he requested a [[coadjutor bishop]] and was given Father [[James Leen]], C.S.Sp. Murphy died in Port Louis on 16 April 1926, at the age of 71.{{sfn|Farragher|2006|p=368}}

==Notes and references==

==Notes and references==

{{succession box |

{{succession box |

before=[[John Willms]], C.S.Sp. |

before=[[John Willms]], C.S.Sp. |

title= President of Pittsburgh Catholic
College of the Holy Ghost |

title= President of Pittsburgh Catholic />College of the Holy Ghost |

years= 1886–1899 |

years= 1886–1899 |

after= [[Martin Hehir]], C.S.Sp.

after= [[Martin Hehir]], C.S.Sp.