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A bad back can't deter Julie Murphy's good heart.

It didn't 17 years ago, when she regularly made dinner and performed Bach and Beethoven on the piano for her three sons after a day's work as a computer analyst.

It didn't a few years back, when she sorted and distributed bags of food at the Center City Parish Social Ministry food pantry in Albany for almost two months before her aching ligaments claimed victory.

Resilient, Mrs. Murphy designed a new statistical database for the pantry, took Russian lessons from one of the patrons and rallied parishes to fund the Catholic school education of an immigrant family from Africa.

Her sons say this is typical of her.

"Nothing can wow me and my brothers at this point," said Daniel Murphy, 23, the youngest.

Continuing ed
So it surprised no one when Mrs. Murphy started studying for a second Master's degree five years ago, after she retired from 30 years at the attorney general's office.

She had previously earned a bachelor's degree in history and a Master's degree in management from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, as well as teaching certification from Siena College in Loudonville.

She had taught computer classes during maternity leaves and spent a few years teaching adult education in the Albany City School District.

But Mrs. Murphy wanted to learn more about her Catholic faith and help others in a bigger way: "I wanted to do something with the rest of my life."

In April, after completing 48 credits' worth of coursework at St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry in Albany, Mrs. Murphy received a Master's degree in theological studies.

The theology program helped Mrs. Murphy realize the role of the worldwide Church.

"Jesus is present in every church all over the world," she explained. "What we used to call the third world is becoming the first world of Christianity, and the Church is different because of that."

She said she had studied before semesters even began and spent countless hours at the library at Siena to further her knowledge.

"I thought they were going to start charging me rent on one of the desks," she joked.

Job corps
Mrs. Murphy shares her current desk with pastoral care associate Jeanne Pitkin at St. Pius X parish in Loudonville, where the new graduate designs and manages databases using Microsoft Access to keep track of more than 300 homebound parishioners, their student pen pals and more than 600 bereaved parishioners.

Before Mrs. Murphy started that part-time job, the other computer software being used made Mrs. Pitkin's work more difficult. Mrs. Pitkin prayed for Mrs. Murphy's kind of skill so she could spend more time ministering.

"Julie has been a great gift to the parish," Mrs. Pitkin said.

The pair alternate on using the computer, she added: Mrs. Murphy relinquishes it when Mrs. Pitkin needs it and comes in on Saturdays to write programs for the databases.

Mrs. Murphy also takes messages and makes calls for Mrs. Pitkin and volunteers with the adult faith formation committee and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults committee.

She does all this without fanfare, said Rev. Michael Farano, pastor at St. Pius. "It's people like that who enable ministry to happen," he remarked.

Family lessons
Daniel Murphy told The Evangelist that he learned patience from his mother. "She never starts something if she doesn't want to be completely immersed in it. She'll tell you she's not a good multi-tasker, but that's a lie."

Mrs. Murphy's brother, Michael Boyle, recalled that when his wife died five years ago, Mrs. Murphy helped him with his finances, cooked meals for him and invited him to dinner. She still does.

"Most families take care of you for the first five months or so, but Julie just doesn't forget," he said. "For every occasion, [she's] there."

(05/06/10)[[In-content Ad]]

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