P. Dennis J. Murphy Celebrates 60th Anniversary of His Priestly Ordination

BANGALORE, India – On December 17, 2011 P. Dennis J. Murphy celebrated 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination. At 11 am, he presided over the Eucharistic celebration, in which many MSC priests and a couple of guest priests were concelebrants. His homily was consisted of philosophical, theological and spiritual experiences – all peoples have their existence in God and no one is excluded. He emphasized on his faithfulness to his congregation – the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, his priesthood and the Catholic Church.  As he was a student for 7 years and Assistant General for two terms from 1981 to 1993 in Rome and in India for 17 years since 1994, he felt being part of these countries. He added that one has to be born into that culture so as to belong to that culture and he also admitted the fact that pain is always a part of being a missionary. He thanked God for the gift of his priesthood, quoting Psalm 107.

Parishioners from the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church and the scholastics brought festivity to this special occasion. P. John Chinnappan presented a short history of P. Dennis at the entrance of the Eucharistic celebration. P. Joseph Christy, the Superior of the Indian Union, expressed his gratitude to P. Dennis for his patience, humility, example and his tireless service to the Congregation and the Union of India. P. Denis Murphy acknowledged the preparations for jubilee, undertaken by the MSC confreres: P. Charles, the parish priest of the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, P. Syam Kumar and P. Richard.

P. Dennis was ordained priest on December 22, 1951. He secured a licentiate from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. He taught the Sacred Scripture at the scholasticate seminary and he was made Rector at St. Paul’s National Seminary in Kensington, Australia. He was appointed the Provincial Superior of the Australian Province in 1975 for six years. P. Dennis has also made a significant contribution to spiritual, Biblical and MSC writing. His works are enumerated here: His Servants the Prophets (1965), The Apostle of Corinth (1966), The Challenge to Hope (1980), The Heart of Our Mission (1981), Thy Kingdom Come, The Heart of World Incarnate (2003), Two Editions of the Church and Bible, (Ist edition 2000, IIndedition 2007), The Heart of the Word Incarnate (coming soon) and 25 years of MSC in India (coming soon).