Cardinal O’Brien joins Cistercians to lay last remaining founder of Nunraw to rest
Cardinal Keith O’Brien joined the Cistercian community at Nunraw Abbey on Monday to pay tribute to the last founding member of the abbey.
Fr Stephen Murphy OCSO died on Wednesday February 6 at the age of 89.
The cardinal joined many priests from the Cistercian community, including Abbot Dom Mark Caira of Nunraw and Fr Richard, the present abbot of Roscrea, at Monday’s funeral Mass, after which Fr Stephen’s remains were laid to rest in the abbey grounds (right).
Fr Stephen was born in London in 1924. He entered Nunraw on August 15, 1943 and made his solemn profession on September 25, 1948 and he was ordained a priest on May 1, 1950. This year marked the 68th year of Fr Murphy’s monastic profession.
Fr Stephen (inset) died after a long illness. In spite of the cold weather there was a good number of his friends and those associated with Nunraw over the years present for his funeral last Monday, Cardinal O’Brien was one of them and he gave a eulogy at the end of the Mass.
“May God indeed grant eternal rest to Fr Stephen and all those many monks and religious who have gone before him,” Cardinal O’Brien said. “And may He continue to inspire us on our onward journeys toward finding that same face of God in our own lives guiding us until we see that same God face to face in Heaven.”
Irishman Fr Stephen, who came from Mount Saint Joseph Abbey, Roscrea, County Tipperary, was in fact born in London in 1924. He was sent to the Abbey school to be educated and he eventually joined the community, changing his baptismal name Patrick to that of Stephen. After a few short years he was sent to join the initial group who had begun the foundation at Nunraw in 1946.
He had a great love of the New Testament from his earlier years of his monastic life in Roscrea. He also had a great sense of humour that was fed by the works of PG Wodehouse.
“It is not surprising that everyone commented on the twinkle in his eye when they remembered him,” Abbot Caira said.
In spite of his long-lasting ill-health, Fr Stephen gave good health and cheer to others in their spiritual needs.
FUNERAL PIC: PAUL McSHERRY
– This story was reported in full in the February 22 print edition of the SCO.
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I had the honur of meeting father stephen when at nunraw and also helped him on a thusrsday I came from cumbernauld. And loved the spirit of the man I always grow up hearing the words very saintly untill I met father stephen it was just words but I understand it fully now what it means meeting him. R.I.p father