The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-10-10


James Clarke church goods house. 647
California street Denver, Colo.
Rev. Joseph P Murray, a brilliant
scholar and loWly Jesuit has finished
ms work. Denver mourns him because
Denver loved him. Denver knew
Father Murray in life as the man of
intellect, the guiding influence in an
institution of learning and culture.
Denver knew Father Murray in death
as the humble follower of st. Ignatius.
The rules Of the Society of Jesus, the
stringent ban upon pOmp and hollow
ceremony, precluded Denver paying
her tribute Of respect in just the mani
ner she would have chosen, but even
had quantities Of flowers been permit
ted to mingle their perfume with the
incense IN the sanctuary they would
nave told no more plainly of the grief
that tugSed at the heartStrings than
did the tears that fell on the un-
adorned black bier. There was no eu-
logy upon the life of the Jesuit His
work had been eloquent enough. There
was no chanting Of a high mass of re-
qulem for the repose of the priests
SOuld. There were no flowers. not even
10 one tiny rosebud that could feebly
defy the heavy redolence of the frank
incense. Denver sorrowed mutely at
the bier of Father MurTav. Kindly of
heart, cultivated of mind affable of
disposition, Father Murray worked his
way into the hearts of the men and
women and the young boys with whom
he came in contact through his duties
at the College of the Sacred Heart.
and without being conscious of it be
came fixture in the affections of his
friends. That is why the news which
SpTp90 on Ia SATURDAY. fl,o+ ITo
Murray had succumbed to typhoid fe-
yer cast gloom over Denver which
knew neither religious lines nor sec
tional boundaries. Before dawn began
to break the light Of a great day COM
menced to flow, the soul of the wan
priest who mad battled for weeks
against disease, and he knew that the
end was at hand. He was ready to go.
He was ready to lay down the work. in
preparation for which he had spent
fourteen Of the thirty-five years of his |
life. There was just time for the re-
ception of the last sacraments and |
then death came
1t was heart failure, the doctors said |
The fever had left the priest some days |
before. He was recuperating his |
strength and making his T.,ans for the
resumption Of his work at the college.
II would be many weeks of course. be-
fore he would be able to take his
classes, but then the crisis had been
safely passed and there was hope
Then came that queer pain in the
heart, the premonition of the end, and
Father Murray closed his eyes
He had devoted only three years of
his life to the priesthood, but his
scholarly attainments had given
strength to the faculty Of the Jesuit
college here before it had been his
privilege to celebrate the sacrifice of
the mass
Father Murray was born in Strad-
Daily, Queens county, Ireland, and {
was educated at the University of
Limerick. He came to America when
he was Is years of age and entered the
Jesuit novitiate at St Louis In 1895
he came TO Denver and taught for two
years. He returned to St Louis for his |
philosophical course, and later spent | Z
three years as an instructor at the !
Denver college. His theological train |
ing called him east again. and he re-
mained away until year after his or l
dlnauon. This ceremony was per-
formed at Montreal, Canada, in 1905 y
"A year later Father Murray was sent
to Denver, and remained there until
death closed his career. After one wear :
OF service at the college, Father Muir :
ray was elevated to the rank of vice I
president, a tribute to his executive n
ability and popularity with the stu d
dent body and faculty. =
AS pulpit orator he had an envia-
bic reputation and was frequently in d
vited by pastors of the various civ "
churches to preach on special occa- q
5ions 1t was in August last that II
Father Murray was taken to st. Jo- . .
seph's hospital with typhoid fever. AT l
lo time did he appear to be seriously
H. although his vitality wasted to a
degree. He was convalescent !.
when other members Of the faculty of -
he college We're laid low with the fe- -
yer. Professor Cyrus B. Telson, S. J.. -
vas one Of the victims He died. earlier =,
asst week. It is probable that the y,
'hocR of the taking off of his friend ~
lad something to do with Father Muir a. a.
avs demise. Mr.. Telson was 26 wears -
# age. He had only fairly started on =,
Us preparation for the priesthood. ~
NTH the students at the college he %
vas a favorite, and he bade fair to be y
valued acquisition to the Society of 90
esus. His fervor was remarkable =,
nd his influence on the younger bows 10
vas unusual - -
Professor Telson also died at st. To- -;
eph's hospital. His funeral was very he
uiet. 1t took place in the college -
NNt0-- CiA " InllCSIdg morning. with
rev. j. j. Brown, s. j., president of ~
ne college, officiating Interment was -,
the college cemetery.
The body Of Father Murray reposed
/ the sanctuary of the Church of the =,
acred Heart through Sunday after 81
oon and evening, that the legion Of :, ~
1ends Of the dead priest might look ~ ~
or a last time into his face The f,I.- ~ ~
eraI took place on Monday morning -" 20
ne service was at $3.50 o'clock. First =.
lere was the office of the dead, chant Nc
] In the darkened church by all the ne e
RESTS in the city Of Denver Father
auer, S. J., and Father Minot. S. J.. 8o
ere the chanters, with the others -,
nging the responses. Father Brown. -, -
j., celebrated mass and gave the a. a.
Osolution. During the mass Father ~
auer sang The Benedictus moving " ~.
lose who heard to tears. Besides ali -,
lie secular priests of the city. the va of oif
Gus religious orders were represent u
in the sanctuary. The Franciscan ne ne
athers, the Dominian Fathers. the n en
srvite Fathers, the Redemptorist - -
athers and the Lazarist Fathers were 10 10
there The out-of-town priests =" /"