George V. Murry

{{redirect|George Murry|other people with a similar name|George Murray (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox Christian leader

| type = Bishop

| honorific-prefix = His Excellency, The Most Reverend

| name = George Vance Murry

| honorific-suffix = S.J.

| title = Bishop of Youngstown

| image = Bishop George Murry.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Bishop Murry in September 2018

| church = Roman Catholic Church

| appointed = January 30, 2007

| enthroned = March 28, 2007

| ended = May 26, 2020

| predecessor = Thomas J. Tobin

| successor = David Bonnar

| ordination = June 9, 1979

| ordinated_by =

| consecration = March 20, 1995

| consecrated_by = Joseph Bernardin, Alfred Leo Abramowicz, and Timothy Joseph Lyne

| rank =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1948|12|28}}

| birth_place = Camden, New Jersey, USA

| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|06|05|1948|12|28}}

| death_place = New York, New York, USA

| previous_post = Bishop of Saint Thomas
(1999–2007)
Coadjutor Bishop of Saint Thomas (1998–1999)
Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago (1995–1998)

| motto = Christ my light

| see = Diocese of Youngstown

| education = Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University
George Washington University

| ordained_by = William Donald Borders

}}

{{Infobox bishopstyles

| name= George Vance Murry

| dipstyle= His Excellency
The Most Reverend

| offstyle= Your Excellency

| relstyle=Bishop

| image = Coat of arms of George Vance Murry.svg

| image_size = 200px

}}

George Vance Murry, S.J. (December 28, 1948{{spnd}}June 5, 2020) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church and member of the Society of Jesus. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown from 2007 to 2020.

Murry previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago from 1995 to 1998 and as bishop of the Diocese of Saint Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands from 1998 to 2007 He submitted his resignation in May 2020 after suffering a relapse of leukemia, but died before it was accepted.

Biography

= Early life =

Murry was born in Camden, New Jersey, on December 28, 1948, to Viola Murry and George Vance Murry II.{{cite news|title=Retired Bishop George Murry dies after two-year battle with leukemia|url=https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2020/06/retired-bishop-george-murry-dies-after-two-year-battle-with-leukemia/|first=Pete|last=Sheehan|date=June 5, 2020|access-date=June 5, 2020|agency=Catholic News Service|newspaper=Crux}} He originally belonged to the African Methodist Episcopal Church but converted to Catholicism when he was a child while attending a parochial school in Baltimore, Maryland.{{cite journal |url=http://www.cantonrep.com/topstories/x1922371728/Faith-and-Values-Black-Catholics-embrace-heritage-history |journal=Canton Reporter |title=Faith and Values: Black Catholics embrace heritage, history |first=Charita |last=Goshay |date=December 1, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227002701/http://www.cantonrep.com/topstories/x1922371728/Faith-and-Values-Black-Catholics-embrace-heritage-history |archive-date=December 27, 2012 }} He later graduated from Camden Catholic High School in Camden, New Jersey.

Murry attended St. Joseph's College in Philadelphia, St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Connecticut, and St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, obtaining a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1972. In that same year, he was admitted as a member of the Society of Jesus. After completing his period of novitiate in 1974, Murry obtained a Master of Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley in Berkeley, California, and a Masters and Doctorate in American Cultural History from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

= Priesthood =

On June 9, 1979, Murry was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop William Donald Borders in the Jesuit province of Maryland.{{cite web |title=Bishop George Vance Murry |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmurry.html |access-date=June 5, 2020 |publisher=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |location=Kansas City}}

Murry became an assistant professor of American studies at Georgetown University in 1986, and taught at that institution for four years. He also served as president of Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C. from 1989 until 1994, when he was appointed associate vice president for academic affairs at the University of Detroit Mercy.

= Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago =

Pope John Paul II appointed Murry as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago and titular bishop of Fuerteventura on January 24, 1995.{{cite news|title=Black Catholic Bishops of the US|url=https://austindiocese.org/black-catholic-bishops|access-date=June 5, 2020|publisher=Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200524014753/https://austindiocese.org/black-catholic-bishops|archive-date=May 24, 2020}} He was consecrated on March 20, 1995. Cardinal Joseph Bernardin served as the principal consecrator, assisted by Auxiliary Bishops Alfred Abramowicz and Timothy Lyne.

=Coadjutor Bishop and Bishop of Saint Thomas=

Murry was appointed as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Saint Thomas by Pope John Paul II on May 5, 1998. As such, he had the right of succession when the current bishop resigned. Murry became bishop on June 30, 1999, after the resignation of Bishop Elliot Thomas.

=Bishop of Youngstown =

On January 30, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Murry as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown. Later in 2007, he was elected secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).{{cite news|last1=Allen|first1=John L. Jr. |title=USCCB Day Three: Murry elected conference secretary|url=http://ncronline.org/news/usccb-day-three-murry-elected-conference-secretary|access-date=October 26, 2015|work=National Catholic Reporter|date=November 14, 2007}} Murry was re-elected to a three-year term as secretary in 2008.{{cite news|last1=Allen|first1=John L. Jr. |title=USCCB: Murry elected secretary (again ... we think) |url=http://ncronline.org/news/usccb-murry-elected-secretary-again-we-think|access-date=October 26, 2015|work=National Catholic Reporter|date=November 11, 2008}} Murry served as chair of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Policy.{{cite web|title=Resignations and Appointments|url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2007/01/30/0049/00128.html|date=January 30, 2007|access-date=June 5, 2020|work=Holy See Press Office|publisher=Holy See}} {{inlang|it}} He was appointed chair of the National Catholic Educational Association in 2015, serving until the end of 2017.

In September 2015, Pope Francis appointed Murry to the Synod of Bishops that met in October 2015 to discuss family life.{{cite journal|url=http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/vatican-releases-synod-list-279-participants-8-americans|journal=National Catholic Reporter|title=Vatican releases Synod list: 279 participants, 8 Americans|date=September 15, 2015|first=Joshua J.|last=McElwee |access-date=October 26, 2015}} At that meeting, he said he supported the view that church could change its practice toward the divorced and remarried without altering doctrine. Murry said he supported greater participation from theologians, cultural historians, and other experts, and that the Synod needed to find a way to hear the voices of the people who were the subject of its discussions. He also supported the creation of commission to consider allowing women to serve as deacons. He said: "It would be a wise idea to look into it, to learn more about it and then to present a proposal to the Pope to say there either are theological problems, or not. And if not, let’s move forward."{{cite news|last1=Hansen|first1=Luke, S.J.|title=Bishop George Murry Discusses Synod Process, Supports More Lay Involvement|url=http://americamagazine.org/content/dispatches/bishop-george-murry-discusses-synod-process-supports-more-lay-involvement|access-date=October 26, 2015|work=America|date=October 20, 2015}}

Murry served on several. boards of directors and trustees:

University of Detroit
St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia
Mount St. Mary's College
Loyola Academy in Detroit{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HAHhAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA71 |title=Marketing and Public Relations Activities in ARL Libraries: A SPEC Kit |publisher=Association of Research Libraries |year=1999 |page=71}}
Catholic Relief Services{{cite magazine |last=Sheehan |first=Pete |date=June 5, 2020 |title=Retired Bishop George Murry dies after two-year battle with leukemia |url=https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/06/05/retired-bishop-george-murry-dies-after-two-year-battle-leukemia |magazine=America |access-date=June 5, 2020 |agency=Catholic News Service}}
Loyola University Chicago
Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut{{cite web |date=November 21, 2005 |title=Fairfield University announces five new trustees |url=https://www.fairfield.edu/news/press-releases/2005/november/fairfield-university-announces-five-new-trustees.html |access-date=June 5, 2020 |publisher=Fairfield University}}

In 2017, Murry was appointed as the founding chairman of the USCCB's Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism, a role in which he remained until the next year.{{Cite web |title=Though retired, Bishop Perry will continue to lead USCCB's anti-racism committee |url=https://www.cathstan.org/us-world/though-retired-bishop-perry-will-continue-to-lead-usccb-s-anti-racism-committee |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Catholic Standard |language=en-US}}

In April 2018, Murry was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.{{cite web|url=http://www.vindy.com/news/2018/apr/30/bishop-murry-diagnosed-acute-leukemia-receiving-tr/|title=Bishop Murry diagnosed with acute leukemia, receiving treatment|publisher=The Vindicator|date=April 30, 2018|access-date=May 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503150551/http://www.vindy.com/news/2018/apr/30/bishop-murry-diagnosed-acute-leukemia-receiving-tr/|archive-date=May 3, 2018|url-status=dead}} He received chemotherapy treatment at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.{{cite web|url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/38303/bishop-murry-of-youngstown-diagnosed-with-leukemia|title=Bishop Murry of Youngstown diagnosed with leukemia|publisher=Catholic News Agency|access-date=May 5, 2018|date=April 30, 2018}} On September 4, 2018, he returned to work part-time at the diocese.{{cite press release | url = https://doy.org/bishop-murrys-return-to-work/ | access-date = June 8, 2020 | date = August 30, 2018 | title = Bishop Murry's Return To Work | publisher = Diocese of Youngstown | archive-date = October 27, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201027154355/https://doy.org/bishop-murrys-return-to-work/ | url-status = dead }} After being in remission, Murry suffered a relapse in April 2020.{{cite news|title=Bishop Murry of Youngstown dies after stepping down due to leukemia|url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/44761/bishop-murry-of-youngstown-dies-after-stepping-down-due-to-leukemia|date=June 5, 2020|access-date=June 5, 2020|agency=Catholic News Agency|publisher=EWTN}}

= Retirement and legacy =

Murry submitted his resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown to Pope Francis on May 26, 2020, four years before the mandatory retirement age of 75.{{Cite web|title=Youngstown Bishop George Murry requests resignation after latest cancer diagnosis|url=https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/youngstown-bishop-george-murry-resigns-after-latest-cancer-diagnosis/|date=May 26, 2020|website=WKBN.com|language=en-US|access-date=May 26, 2020}} George Murry died on June 5, 2020, a few days after being admitted to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City for treatment.{{Cite web|title=Bishop George Murry was a familiar, friendly face|url=https://www.indeonline.com/news/20200605/youngstown-diocese-bishop-george-murry-dies|access-date=June 8, 2020|website=The Independent|language=en|first=Tim|last=Botos|archive-date=June 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605154942/https://www.indeonline.com/news/20200605/youngstown-diocese-bishop-george-murry-dies|url-status=dead}}{{cite news | title = Bishop Murry hospitalized | access-date = June 8, 2020 | url = https://www.indeonline.com/news/20200601/bishop-murry-hospitalized | work= The Independent | date= June 1, 2020 }}

References

External links

[http://www.doy.org Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown Official Site]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070326153120/http://www.nbccongress.org/aboutus/congress-directory/african-american-catholic-bishop-george-murry.asp National Black Catholic Congress] bio of George Murry