Rev Garrett Murphy
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Michael
Middle Names:
Garrett
Preferred Name:
Garrett
Surname:
Murphy
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Swan Creek via Warwick QLD
Country of Birth:
Australia
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney NSW
Country of Ordination:
Australia
Ordination Diocese:
Brisbane
Seminary:
St Patrick's College, Manly, Australia
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Stanthorpe QLD
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Toowoomba QLD
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Appointments Table
Diocese | Place | Role | Start Day | Start Month | Start Year | End Day | End Month | End Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | Toowoomba | Curate | Feb | 1909 | 1919 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | |||
| Brisbane | Pittsworth | Curate | 1919 | 1920 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | ||||
| Brisbane | Pittsworth | Parish Priest | 1920 | 1925 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | ||||
| Brisbane | Warwick | Curate | 1925 | 1939 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | ||||
| Toowoomba | Toowoomba | Chaplain, St Vincent's Hospital | 1940 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 |
Biographical Notes
Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, p 175:
Michael Murphy [Garrett]
Although his correct name was Michael Garrett, he was known to everyone as Fr Garrett Murphy. Garrett, possibly named after Garrettstown in Cork, is the second eldest of the four brother in the photo.
Garrett was born outside Warwick in 1882, attended Nudgee College and went through Springwood and Manly where he was ordained in 1908. He seemed to spend his priesthood of 53 years in the Toowoomba-Warwick area. First, he was assistant to Denis Fouhy at St Patrick's in Toowoomba, then Parish Priest of Southbrook where he built a church, before going to Warwick to assist the ageing Mons. Potter. It was at St Vincent's Hospital in Toowoomba that as Chaplain he earned such a high reputation for his ministry to the sick and the dying.
In the eyes of Fr Joe McKey, Garrett Murphy was 'the acme of perfection ' and always a great friend.
Fr M G Murphy died on 16th May 1962 and was buried in the priests' plot of the Toowoomba-Drayton Cemetery.
(Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Martin.)
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Prayer Calendar: Deceased Priests who have ministered the Catholic Faith throughout Toowoomba and districts, 1864–2025, Compiled by Annie Carrett, Diocesan Archivist, 2001, Updated by Gabrielle Saide, Diocesan Archivist, 2023:
Rev Michael Garrett (Vincent) Murphy, died 15 May 1962
Born Michael Garrett (Vincent) Murphy on 2nd June, 1882 at Swan Creek via Warwick, he was one of ten children (seven boys and three girls) of Timothy and Bridget Murphy (nee Campbell). Both parents were Irish, Timothy being a native of Charleville, Co. Cork and Bridget a native of Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Four of the boys - Pat, Kevin, Garrett and James became priests and two of the girls became nuns. He attended the State School at Swan Creek and St Joseph's College, Nudgee. After completing his studies at Manly Seminary, he was ordained on 30th November, 1908, in St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, by Cardinal Moran. He was appointed as the third Assistant to Rev Denis Fouhy, PP of Toowoomba in February, 1909, and then as Assistant to Rev John Ryan at Pittsworth in 1919. He was appointed Parish Priest of Pittsworth in 1920, and as Assistant to Monsignor Potter of Warwick in 1925. After taking sick leave in 1939, he was appointed as Chaplain to St Vincent's Hospital in 1940. During the last years of his life he lived at Stanthorpe in the Presbytery, cared for by the Parish Priest Dean Skelly. Fr Murphy was the last of his 1908 ordination class to die. He is buried in the Toowoomba/Drayton Cemetery.
(Ref. Clerical CV and Manly, Oct.1963, Vol. 9, No. 5)
Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.