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WASHINGTON (June 25, 2001) -- Pope John Paul II has named Boston Auxiliary Bishop William F. Murphy to head the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York. He has also named Monsignor Victor Galeone, the pastor of St. Agnes Parish, Baltimore, as Bishop of St. Augustine, Florida.
Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, announced the appointments.
Bishop Murphy succeeds Bishop James T. McHugh who died last December.
Bishop-elect Galeone succeeds Bishop John J. Snyder who retired in December.
William Francis Murphy was born in Boston on May 14, 1940. After attending Boston public schools, Boston Latin School, and Harvard University, Bishop Murphy attended Cardinal O'Connell Minor Seminary and St. John's Seminary, Brighton. He completed his studies for the priesthood at the North American College and the Gregorian University, Rome. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Boston on December 16, 1964, in St. Peter's Basilica.
After parish service, then-Father Murphy taught theology at Emmanuel College, Boston, and Pope John XXIII Seminary, Weston. He also did post-graduate study at the Gregorian University.
In 1974, he was named to the staff of the Pontifical Commission Justitia et Pax (Justice and Peace) where he became the under-secretary in 1980. He was also a lecturer in theology at the Gregorian University and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (the Angelicum). In 1979, he became a member of the papal household, with the title of monsignor.
In 1987, Monsignor Murphy returned to Boston to serve first as administrator of Sacred Heart Parish, Lexington, Mass., then secretary of community relations and director of the office of social justice. He also lectured at St. John's Seminary and Pope John XXIII Seminary on social ethics. Since 1993, he has been vicar general and moderator of the Curia of the Archdiocese.
In 1995, Monsignor Murphy was named Titular Bishop of Saia Maggiore and Auxiliary Bishop of Boston.
Bishop Murphy has represented the Holy See at various international conferences dealing with social issues and participated in workshops here and around the world.
He was a member of the presidential delegations which observed the Haitian elections in 1987 and 1990 as well as of the Holy See's Delegation on Disarmament and Development at the United Nations in 1987.
Bishop Murphy holds a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian University and is the author of numerous articles.
The Diocese of Rockville Centre is comprised of Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island and has a Catholic population of 1,404,361 out of a total population 3,008,203.
Victor B. Galeone was born September 13, 1935, in Philadelphia. He was educated in St. Elizabeth Elementary School and St. Charles College, Baltimore. He continued his studies for the priesthood at the North American College and the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. He was ordained a priest on December 18, 1960.
After service in parishes, he became a professor and later principal at St. Paul Latin High School. He also served as a missionary priest in Peru under the auspices of the Society of St. James the Apostle, first from 1970 to 1975 and then from 1978 to 1985. Besides being pastor of St. Agnes, he also served as pastor of St. Bernard Parish and St. Thomas More Parish, both in Baltimore.
In 1995 he was named a prelate of honor by the Holy Father with the title of monsignor.
Bishop John J. Snyder, a native of Brooklyn, was ordained a priest in 1951. He was appointed Titular Bishop of Forlimpopli and Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn in 1972. In 1979, he was named Bishop of St. Augustine where he served until his retirement.
The Diocese of St. Augustine is comprised of all of the northeastern Counties of the State of Florida. It has a Catholic population of 142,886, out of a total population of 1,598,247.