John Murray (archbishop)

John Gregory Murray (February 26, 1877—October 11, 1956) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of St. Paul from 1931 until his death.

Biography

John Murray was born in Waterbury, Connecticut; he had a brother, James, who later became a prominent New York lawyer [TIME Magazine. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,820077,00.html?iid=chix-sphere Another Life] September 6, 1954] .

He worked as a paperboy as a child [TIME Magazine. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,743116,00.html Pigeons at St. Paul] February 8, 1932] , and graduated with honors from both Holy Cross College and the University of Louvain. Murray was ordained to the priesthood on April 14, 1900, for the service of the Archdiocese of Hartford.

On November 15, 1919, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Hartford and Titular Bishop of "Flavias" by Pope Benedict XV. Murray, the first native Connecticutian to become a bishop, received his episcopal consecration on April 18, 1920 from Archbishop Giovanni Bonzano.

He was later named Bishop of Portland, Maine, on May 29, 1925. During his tenure in Portland, Murray dedicated himself to improving Catholic education and accumulated many debts in assisting victims of the Great Depression. He was promoted to Archbishop of St. Paul, Minnesota, on October 29, 1931. In 1939, the Archbishop preached a sermon at an Episcopalian-sponsored men's rally [TIME Magazine. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,883996,00.html Christians on Christianity] February 12, 1940] .

Murray died nearly twenty-five years later, at age 79.

References

External links

* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmurrayj.html Catholic-Hierarchy]
* [http://www.portlanddiocese.net/info.php?info_id=135 Diocese of Portland]