• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Bishop Robert Barron
          • George Weigel
          • Question Corner
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Suzanna Molino Singleton
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Paul McMullen
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Father T. Austin Murphy Jr.
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • Advertising
  • CR Radio
  • Printing
  • Subscribe
Redemptorist Father John Murray will be the homilist at the 10 a.m. St. Patrick’s Day Mass at St. Patrick in Fells Point March 17

Paralysis won’t stop priest at Fells Point St. Patrick’s Day Mass

George P. Matysek Jr. March 10, 2011
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Local News, News

By George P. Matysek Jr.

gmatysek@CatholicReview.org

Growing up in New York, Redemptorist Father John Murray loved marching with his father in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Now that he uses a wheelchair, Father Murray is about to promote the Saint of Ireland in a way that may prove more powerful than anything he could have done on foot in a parade.

Nearly seven months after a freak accident left him paralyzed from the chest down, Father Murray will be the homilist at the 10 a.m. March 17 St. Patrick’s Day Mass at St. Patrick in Fells Point. It will mark a milestone in Father Murray’s recovery – only the second time he has preached outside his residence at Stella Maris in Timonium since an Aug. 27 accident.

“It’s thrilling to be able to preach again,” said Father Murray, who gave the March 6 homily at St. John Neumann in Annapolis.

The last several months have been difficult for the former pastor of St. Wenceslaus in Baltimore and St. Mary in Annapolis.

During a morning stroll on the boardwalk in Long Beach, N.J., Father Murray fell and hit his head on a railing – leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. He was rushed to the Jersey Shore Medical Center, where he had emergency spinal cord surgery. After undergoing rehabilitation at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, the paraplegic moved to Stella Maris Nov. 3.

“My wheelchair is my cross,” Father Murray said. “Paralysis is certainly a major cross, but it also reveals true character.”

The priest said he has learned the importance of God’s grace in bearing his cross – not alone, he said, but with Christ’s help.

Although doctors in New Jersey told him there was little chance he would ever move his legs again, Father Murray said his condition is improving, thanks to 10-15 hours of weekly therapy at Stella Maris.

Father Murray called it a blessing to live with fellow Redemptorists at Stella Maris, most of whom are elderly or infirm.

“An important hallmark of the Redemptorists is community life,” he said. “I certainly sense that here at Stella Maris, and I am so grateful for my Redemptorist vocation.”

A noted writer in the Catholic press and a former columnist for The Catholic Review, Father Murray often gave missions throughout the archdiocese and across the East Coast. Ironically, his injury may have opened up an even larger international audience as he has begun preaching once or twice a month on his religious community’s website, www.redemptorists.net.

For his St. Patrick’s Day homily, Father Murray intends to discuss the lessons that can be learned from the saint’s life. St. Patrick had a great interest in the Trinity, unity in the church and family, Father Murray said.

“He taught the Irish people how to evangelize the world,” Father Murray said.

That’s exactly what the priest is doing.

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

George P. Matysek Jr.

George P. Matysek Jr.

George Matysek was named digital editor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2017 following two decades at the Catholic Review, where he began as a writer and then served as senior correspondent, assistant managing editor and web editor.

In his current role, he manages archbalt.org and CatholicReview.org and is a host of Catholic Review Radio.

George has won more than 70 national and regional journalism and broadcasting awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, the Catholic Press Association, the Associated Church Press and National Right to Life. He has reported from Guyana, Guatemala, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

A native Baltimorean, George is a proud graduate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School in Essex. He holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore and a master's degree from UMBC.

George, his wife and five children live in Rodgers Forge, where they are parishioners of St. Pius X, Rodgers Forge/St. Mary of the Assumption, Govans.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

Latest Local News

St. Ignatius, Hickory, answers call as COVID vaccination clinic

Archbishop Lori invites parishioners to pray, learn more during Child Abuse Prevention Month

Sister Dolores Hudson, OSU, served in Cumberland hometown as teacher and principal, dies at 82

Two bills that would limit Maryland’s role in immigration enforcement get final push by advocates

RADIO INTERVIEW: Archbishop Lori on Easter, Evangelization and the Eucharist

Latest World News

Pope calls all Catholics to be missionaries of God’s mercy

Cardinal Cassidy, Vatican’s former top ecumenist, dies at 96

London cardinal leads Catholics in mourning death of Prince Philip

Priests’ dogs are more than just parish mascot: They’re ‘good for the soul’

Pope ‘moved’ by registry of nighttime adoration he attended

Catholic Review Radio

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Pope calls all Catholics to be missionaries of God’s mercy
  • Cardinal Cassidy, Vatican’s former top ecumenist, dies at 96
  • Haiku Highlights from Easter (7 Quick Takes)
  • London cardinal leads Catholics in mourning death of Prince Philip
  • Priests’ dogs are more than just parish mascot: They’re ‘good for the soul’
  • Pope ‘moved’ by registry of nighttime adoration he attended
  • St. Ignatius, Hickory, answers call as COVID vaccination clinic
  • ‘Profound evil’ of abuse must be eradicated, Pope Francis tells symposium
  • Archbishop Lori invites parishioners to pray, learn more during Child Abuse Prevention Month
  • Sister Dolores Hudson, OSU, served in Cumberland hometown as teacher and principal, dies at 82

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2021 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED