Salesian Father Sean Murphy, Rest in Peace

by Admin · Published November 23, 2023 · Updated November 22, 2023

Salesian Father Sean Murphy, who served much of his 50 years of priesthood in Southern Africa, has died at the age of 89.

The priest had returned to his native Ireland, which he had left in 1973, only this year. He died in Dublin on Tuesday, November 21.

He made first profession as a Salesian of Don Bosco in 1963 and his perpetual profession six years later, working as a missionary in India for some of that time. He was ordained to the priesthood in Ireland in 1973, and in October that year left for missionary work in Swaziland (now Eswatini).

In his five decades in Southern Africa, he served 17 years in Eswatini (Cathedral parish, Manzini, Malkerns), learning SiSwati by visiting parishioners in their homes every day. When he was posted to Maputsoe in Lesotho in 1992, he did the same to learn SeSotho.

Starting in 2002, Fr Murphy served in South Africa, at All Saints parish in Ennerdale and St Dominic Savio parish in Daleside. There he learnt isiZulu. After a two-year stint in Eswatini in 2016-17 he returned to Ennerdale, where he served until his retirement this year.

Fr Murphy was known for his passion for faith education, especially of children, young, adults and catechists. His numerous catechetical aids and handouts for the Don Bosco Preventive System have been circulated worldwide.