By George P. Matysek, Jr.

Review staff correspondent

When Father Milton A. Hipsley trekked to Baltimore to be a part of the priest ordination ceremonies at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen this May, the pastor of St. Mary in Cumberland felt compelled to make a special stop in the quiet cathedral crypt long before the ordination celebration began.

Standing next to the tomb of Bishop P. Francis Murphy, Father Hipsley meditated in silence on the life of the much-beloved western vicar bishop for the Archdiocese of Baltimore – a shepherd who used his voice to champion social justice, the rights of women and the cause of international peace. Bishop Murphy died one year ago Sept. 2 following an eight-month battle with cancer.

"I stood there and remembered the ideals that he had," said Father Hipsley, pastor of the same parish where Bishop Murphy was baptized and raised in the faith.

"His influence was so great," Father Hipsley added. "Personally, I think of him at least once every day. I miss him so much. Now, I just try to let his witness influence my own ministry."

Father Hipsley’s profound sense of loss is an emotion felt very deeply in the hearts of many who live in the vicariate where Bishop Murphy served as bishop for more than 20 years. Yet there seems present an equally strong desire to keep alive the soft-spoken prelate’s legacy of outreach and respect for the dignity of all people.

"We are still very much grieving that he is gone," explained James Upchurch, president of Interfaith Housing of Western Maryland, an organization co-founded by Bishop Murphy in 1989 to provide affordable housing for lower-income families and seniors.

"We often find ourselves asking the question, ‘What would Bishop Murphy advise us to do?’" Mr. Upchurch said. "He set some pretty high standards. We often step back and assess our own performance."

Since Bishop Murphy’s death, Interfaith Housing has continued building homes for those in need, pushing the total number of affordable housing units for the poor to more than 500. Members of Bishop Murphy’s family have also continued the bishop’s advocacy, volunteering at a self-help housing project in Emmitsburg in April. Last spring, Interfaith Housing broke ground on a two-story domestic violence shelter in Cumberland and an affordable home-ownership community in Taneytown.

"He had such incredible courage," noted Mr. Upchurch. "Not only did he work extremely hard to raise money, he called us to always be looking at those who are the enemy of affordable housing as persons of worth and value. He showed us to reach out to them as well and find ways to help them to come around to supporting the weakest in the community."

Mr. Upchurch acknowledged that there has been a very noticeable impact on his organization’s fund-raising efforts without the bishop’s considerable influence. Bishop Murphy had been a remarkable fund-raiser for Interfaith Housing, Mr. Upchurch said, going so far as to secure a $1 million grant while he was in the midst of battling cancer.

"We’re making it," Mr. Upchurch said, "but it certainly is a serious setback not to have the moral persuasion he brought. "Just by looking at the trail of checks that came in from around the region, we knew where Bishop Murphy had been. He was constantly challenging people to support those in need."

Bishop Murphy’s advocacy is missed in other arenas as well.

Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton, an auxiliary bishop of Detroit and a close ally of Bishop Murphy on issues like women’s rights and international peace, said the National Conference of Catholic Bishops hasn’t been the same without his friend’s passionate, intellectual – and sometimes controversial – presence.

Bishop Murphy had often spoken out against war, increased defense spending and the production and deployment of nuclear weaponry during bishops’ meetings. In 1992, when the bishops were in the midst of trying to write a pastoral letter on women, Bishop Murphy wrote an article in Commonweal in which he condemned the "sin of sexism" and urged the ordination of women "because justice demands it."

"He was there on issues the church should really need to be concerned about – the social justice issues,"

Bishop Gumbleton said. "Now, the bishops seem to be going in a different direction. Both nationally and internationally – as well as on issues internal to the church, like the role of women, the conference doesn’t seem willing to deal with the issues. We definitely miss people like Bishop Murphy. We needed his voice."

Sister Joan Maenner, O.S.F., pastoral life director of St. Joseph in Midland, said one of the bishop’s greatest legacies has been his example on how to listen. He was one who cared genuinely about hearing the voices of those who are sometimes missed, Sister Joan said. They include women, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, the homeless and the dispossessed.

"I think as we talk about his memory, that all of us need to listen more to one another," Sister Joan said. "He had a great, caring heart that was very pastoral."

Bishop Murphy had such a deep impact on Joyce Seng that the parishioner of St. Ignatius Loyola in Urbana thought it would be a good idea to erect a prayer garden in his memory. Parishioners are currently working on the project which will be constructed on the grounds of St. Ignatius Loyola’s newly erected church.

"He had an ability to make the individual feel connected and listened to," said Mrs. Seng. "He allowed you to exchange ideas back and forth. I know a lot of pastors out here, and they’re all very caring pastors who try to listen to the people. I guess you could say that was the bishop’s legacy. He had a real impact on his priests."

Mr. Upchurch noted that interfaith cooperation on issues like housing for the poor continues after the bishop’s death. So, too, does the work he championed for helping people with AIDS and making the church a more welcoming place for the hearing impaired, Sister Joan added.

Already, a street in Frostburg has been named after Bishop Murphy. Future Interfaith Housing projects will also bear his name – as does the P. Francis Murphy Charitable Fund which has raised $115,000 since it was established on the 40th anniversary of Bishop Murphy’s ordination to the priesthood in 1998.

But what would most please Bishop Murphy, according to Mr. Upchurch, would be the knowledge that there are people who are working hard to see God in every person.

"We’re trying to continue his work," said Mr. Upchurch. "We’re almost driven by the feeling he’s looking down on us. We can’t fail him."

A prayer service in celebration of the life of Bishop Murphy will be held Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Joseph, Sykesville. Participants are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to be given to the needy or to make a donation to the P. Francis Murphy Charitable Fund or Interfaith Housing of Western Maryland.