Meaning, purpose and joy through 50 years of ministry
By Wendy Shaw
Fr John Murphy SDB highlighted the importance of the Salesian way of ministering with gentle loving kindness as he reflected on 50 years in the priesthood.
He returned to Tasmania in January as Salesian Community Rector and marked his 50th anniversary of ordination in May.
Fr John, 79, grew up in Bentleigh, south-east Melbourne, the youngest of five children. His father was a truck driver and his mother was in charge of home duties.
With a family tradition of joining the priesthood – an uncle was a priest and two cousins were studying to be diocesan clergy – Fr John felt a calling to the Salesians of Don Bosco.
“I went to a Salesian school and that was a wonderful experience for me and so I felt at home there and that was what drew me to their way of life,” he recalled.
He was one of 22 priests ordained at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne on 24 May, 1975, by Archbishop Frank Little. This included diocesan and religious order priests.
“It was the last big ordination held in the cathedral at that time,” Fr John said.
“Because there was such a big group, it was quite an event. The cathedral in Melbourne is large and beautiful and the choir and music were something special.
“A gathering with all those new priests and their families meant the cathedral was choc-a-block.”
He taught at Savio College, Glenorchy, from 1969 to 1971, with two years teaching grades four and five, and another teaching graphics, Italian and biology to secondary school students. He then resumed theology and other studies.
Following his ordination, Fr John undertook many appointments and roles, including: hostel director of the Don Bosco Youth Centre and Hostel at Brunswick (1976-’82); Salesian and spirituality studies at the Salesian Studies Centre, California (1982-’84); Novice Master, Salesian House of Studies, Listerfield (1984-’94); Salesian Provincial, Australia and the Pacific (1994-2000); Salesian House of Studies, Fiji (2001); Youth Centre and parish appointment, St Mary’s, Western Sydney (2002-’03); Rector, Salesian Technical Centre, Samoa (2003-’04); parish appointment, Adelaide (2005); Hostel director, Brunswick (2005-’16); Brunswick parish (2017-’19); Listerfield Retreat Centre (2020-’24); Rector, Salesian Community in Tasmania (2025-present).
Fr John explained the power of the Salesian charism of ministering with gentle loving kindness.
“The Don Bosco way is that you win more hearts with a teaspoon of honey than a barrel full of vinegar,” he said. “You win hearts, you win souls.”
Throughout his years as a priest, getting to know the people that he ministers to has brought him great joy.
“It is what gives me meaning and purpose,” he said.
“In my ministry, the delight is getting to know people and building up an in-depth relationship. That makes moving on harder, but you take them with you.
“They are always part of your story. That energises me: the people I minister to, young and old.”
Fr John’s 50 anniversary of ordination was marked with a thanksgiving Mass at St John’s Church, Glenorchy, and morning tea afterwards.