BY ERIKA ANDERSON

Staff Writer

ATLANTA--Father Edward Murray, SM, was a priest known for his love of stories and his ability to weave them into his homilies.

Father Murray, 71, former pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Church, died at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home in Atlanta Feb. 8.

Archbishop John F. Donoghue presided at Father Murray’s funeral, which was concelebrated by Father Jim McGoldrick, SM, pastor of OLA, and numerous other Marist and archdiocesan priests Feb. 11. He was buried at All Saints Cemetery in Northfield Center, Ohio.

Parishioners and friends gathered to celebrate the life of Father Murray and to reflect on the man who had influenced many of them in a special way.

During his homily, Father McGoldrick recalled the first time he met Father Murray while in the Marist Seminary in Washington, D.C.

“From the first day I met him, my first impression of him as a man was his laughing and joking and having a good old time with his fellow Marists,” he said. “Anytime our paths crossed in the 44 years that I knew him, that first impression did not change. He was always kind and welcoming and compassionate.”

Ordained a Marist priest on Feb. 4, 1961, Father Murray served as a parochial vicar at OLA from 1979-81 and as pastor from 1981-87. After serving at Our Lady Queen of the Universe Church in Orlando, Fla., he returned to OLA as a parochial vicar from 1993 until his retirement in 1996.

Prior to his years in Atlanta, Father Murray taught at Chanel High School in Bedford, Ohio, and at the Marist Seminary in Washington. He also served as a parochial vicar of St. Edmund Parish in New Orleans.

Father McGoldrick said that Father Murray was “a man of deep Christian life, dedicated to spreading the word of the Gospel.”

“Ed is remembered for his storytelling ability, which he weaved into his ministry,” he said. “We not only remember the story, but we remember the moral of the story as well.”

Father Murray also struggled to overcome alcoholism and later ministered to other alcoholics.

“He had a ministry of personal contact,” Father McGoldrick said. “With the support of friends and colleagues he overcame his own alcohol addictions and then he spent his time, his life and his personal skills in helping others to overcome their own addictions and co-dependencies. Today we recall this passionate and specialized ministry of Father Ed’s later years.”

Father McGoldrick also recalled Father Murray’s love of and devotion to Mary.

“His approach to persons was gentle and compassionate, much like Mary’s was,” he said.

Mary Coffey, who served as parish secretary for over 20 years, also recalled Father Murray’s passion for ministry.

“Ed loved all aspects of life and loving and sharing life was very important to him,” she said. “He’d share recipes, places he’d been, jokes and stories--always stories.”

Coffey called Father Murray a “dreamer.”

“His dreams took the edge off reality,” she said. “He was still a little boy inside a grown man who wanted everyone to be happy and everything to be perfect. I’m sure that he’s experiencing that happiness and that perfection today.”

Joan Tiernan, principal of OLA School, said that Father Murray was special.

“He was a gifted storyteller and he touched a lot of people’s lives,” she said. “He was warm and approachable and always had a joke or a story to tell.”

Peggy Grannan, former parish music director, said that she will always remember Father Murray’s laughter.

“He was special and grace-filled,” she said. “He was full of life, forgiving and full of joy. The stars are going to shine brighter now.”

Richard Kessler, OLA parishioner, recalled Father Murray’s zest for life.

“He was a gift to all of us,” he said. “You could open the wrapping and see the gift inside. He made you feel alive.”

Father Murray was a source of strength to Kessler when his wife, Kathy, died in a plane crash in 1996.

“He was the kind of person everyone wanted to be,” he continued. “Even through his struggles with life, he remained upbeat and always saw the rainbows of life.”

Donations in his memory may be made to the Marist Seminarian Education Program, 4408 Eighth St., NE, Washington, D.C. 20017.

Father Edward J. Murray