Bishop Urban Murphy (1)

Bishop Urbban Murphy at the 1966 Independence celebrations c. Struan Robertson
Bishop Urbban Murphy at the 1966 Independence celebrations c. Struan Robertson

Bishop Murphy was a major figure in Gaborone in the years immediately preceding Independence and those after it.

Yet outside the Catholic community, he remains today an almost unknown and unremembered figure.. I only knew Murphy as the country’s first Catholic bishop so it came as something of a revelation to read about a Monsignor Murphy in Bernie Mullens’ book, ‘The Bow End of Rain’ in which she describes her family life in Palapye. I should know a great more about Murphy’s earlier years in this country having listened to the lengthy eulogy at his funeral in perhaps 1980, not the usual once, but twice. 

The government, presumably unable to work out what its spokesman might say about him, asked the Church to provide biographical information. It must have passed on the text of the speech which had been drafted for the Papal representative.  Having listened to this speech, it came as a shock when Vice President Lenyeletse Seretse then delivered the same speech, word for word. If the government at that time was unable to assess Murphy’s contribution to the wider Gaborone community, we today are bound to find it even more difficult. Yet there are small insights which can give us clues about him. Sheila Bagnall, for instance, was incensed by the then new Papal Humane Vitae with its pronunciations about family planning.

Editor's Comment
Congratulations Anicia Gaothuse!

The contest had 10 beautiful young girls as finalists and unfortunately only one could wear the crown.The judges picked Anicia Gaothuse. To all those who feel their contestant should have won ahead of Anicia for whatever reason, hardly; the judges found Anicia to be the best among the best, so desist from disrespecting our newly crowned queen on social media or anywhere else, for that matter! Each of the 10 beautiful young women had supporters...

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