Fr. Thomas Murphy
PORTLAND — Effective July 1, 2016, Fr. Thomas M. Murphy has been appointed pastor of All Saints Parish (St. Charles Borromeo Church, Brunswick; St. John the Baptist Church, Brunswick; St. Mary Church, Bath; Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Boothbay Harbor; St. Ambrose Church, Richmond; St. Patrick Church, Newcastle; St. Katharine Drexel Church, Harpswell).
He is currently pastor of Holy Spirit Parish (St. Mary Church, Wells; St. Martha Church, Kennebunk; All Saints Church, Ogunquit).
A native of Houlton, he grew up in Portland and graduated from Cheverus High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Southern Maine. He received a master’s degree in sacred theology from St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Murphy was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Edward C. O’Leary on June 16, 1979, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland.
His first assignment was as associate pastor at St. Mary Parish in Presque Isle and St. Joseph Parish in Mars Hill. In addition, he served as chaplain at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
In July of 1985, Murphy was appointed director of the Christian Life Center in Upper Frenchville. In 1986, he also served as temporary administrator of St. Agatha Parish in St. Agatha.
In July of 1987, he was named pastor of St. Mary Parish in Houlton, where he would serve until July of 1991, when he was appointed director of RENEW, a small group faith-sharing effort intended to help bring parishioners from various communities together to provide mutual support.
In January of 1996, he became temporary administrator of St. Edmund Parish in Westbrook. In July of 1997, he was appointed pastor at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Scarborough. In July of 1999, Murphy was named chaplain at Maine Medical Center and parochial vicar of Sacred Heart/St. Dominic Parish, both in Portland. In July of 2003, he became pastor at St. Patrick Parish in Portland. In June of 2006, he was appointed administrator of St. Mary Parish in Wells, and in 2008, in addition to his responsibilities at St. Mary, he became administrator of St. Martha Church in Kennebunk and All Saints Church in Ogunquit (newly-formed Holy Spirit Parish), where he serves today.
In addition to his parish duties, Murphy has also served on the College of Consultors, the Presbyteral Council, the diocesan liturgical commission, and as associate director of the diocesan office of vocations.
