Murphy's parents eloped together, leaving their native Ireland, emigrated to the US and married in the Bronx upon their arrival in the States.
[5] Murphy was confirmed at the age of eight at Immaculate Conception Church (where he attended elementary school) by then Archbishop Patrick Hayes of New York.
Murphy graduated from the Redemptorists' Mercyhurst North East preparatory seminary at North East, Pennsylvania in May 1934,[6] and then entered the Redemptorist novitiate at St. Mary's College, Ilchester, Maryland, and completed his theological training at Mount St. Alphonsus Seminary in Esopus, New York.
Sent for further studies, Murphy first earned both a master's degree and, then in 1945, a Ph.D. in Medieval History from the Catholic University of America writing Rufinus of Aquileia (345-411): His Life and Works.
[7] In the summer of 1948 he was sent to Sant’Alfonso in Rome to assist in the task of collecting and microfilming Redemptorist records in European libraries, and became a correspondent for the National Catholic Welfare Conference News Service.
Initially assigned in the Army to Fort Riley, Kansas, he often confronted racism within the ranks of the enlisted men he served.
Murphy was reassigned to France, where he first met Archbishop Angelo Roncalli, the future Pope John XXIII.
The Paulist Fathers' Catholic World magazine published Murphy's article, paid him $40 and encouraged him to continue writing.
[7] During the Second Vatican Council, held in Rome from 1962 to 1965, Murphy originally planned to simply report on the proceedings in a Catholic magazine.
Serving as theological adviser to a Redemptorist bishop during the council, Murphy was able to attend all sessions, allowing him accurate, first-hand insider knowledge.
[9] The Baltimore Province of the Redemptorists positively reviewed Murphy's Second Vatican Council reporting, saying "Keenly appreciating Pope John XXIII's declared intention in calling the Council, 'to open a window' and 'let in fresh air,' Father Murphy not only reported on the Church's view of the modern world, but in doing so, let the modern world see the workings of the Church".
Murphy was once called before Archbishop Pietro Parente, Assessor of the Vatican "Holy Office" (often referred to as "the Inquisition").
In the Xavier Rynne articles, Murphy had unflatteringly referred to Parente as "a strange personality who has few friends and sees heresy everywhere".
Murphy escaped the consequences of the interrogation when Archbishop Parente referred to Pius XI as "a little feeble-minded" or "crazy in the head".
Murphy publicly admitted to having written the "Xavier Rynne" articles, saying "I was afraid that if I went to my grave without making it known, the damned Jesuits would have claimed it was one of theirs and the Redemptorists would have been just as happy".
From 1977 through 1981 he served as rector of Holy Redeemer College in Washington, D.C.[6] Murphy suffered a heart attack in 1979 and was stricken with Parkinson's disease in 1987.
Murphy died April 12, 2002, at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Maryland, of complications from cancer surgery.