Ninth Pastor, 1956-1959
Father Clemens HammerFather Murphy was born on February 5, 1903, in Wilmington, Ohio. Ordained on May 30, 1931, he briefly served at St. Louis church, Cincinnati and then at St. Raphael in Springfield. From 1932 to 1935, he taught at Elder High School while stationed at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral. In 1935, he founded the Mission of Blessed Martin in Lockland, which later became St. Martin de Porres parish, where he remained until 1942. From then until 1944, he was assigned to St. Edward-St. Ann Church. He was named spiritual director of St. Gregory Seminary, and then, in 1954, he became pastor of St. Susanna Church in Mason. Following the departure of Father Sherman, Father Murphy serve a brief three-year period as pastor of Old St. Mary’s. In 1960, he was elevated to Monsignor. In 1969, he was assigned as chaplain of St. Margaret Hall where he remained until his retirement in 1985. He died on February 3, 1995 and was buried in his boyhood home of Wilmington.