Meet SLU's Jesuits: Robert Murphy, S.J., Campus Minister

10/09/2017

Get to know the Jesuits of Saint Louis University in this new occasional series. Robert Murphy, S.J., is a campus minister at SLU's School of Medicine.

Murphy grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana and studied physical therapy at the University of South Alabama. After working as an athletic trainer and a physical therapist for four years in rural Mississippi, he joined the Jesuits in 2003 and was ordained a priest in 2014 at St. Francis Xavier College Church.

Murphy credits his time as a physical therapist for helping him discover his calling as a Jesuit. When working with patients who had suffered a stroke or spinal cord injuries, he began having spiritual conversations with people in recovery.

“Since I’d learned to work with people physically, I felt this desire from God to work with them spiritually as part of my call," he said. He’s proud to be a Jesuit priest who can have a job in addition to being a priest.

On campus, he can often be found in his office overlooking the fountain on the medical campus – his favorite spot on campus – or tending to athletes in Chaifetz Arena.

Hear what he has to say about living in community with his fellow Jesuit brothers:

“I live in a house with seven other Jesuits. It’s pretty great. We cook for ourselves, we have Mass together at least once a week. Each of us have different interests. We don’t go out as a big group all the time, but we go in small groups. Some of us like to go to the movies, some of us like to go out to eat, some of us like to watch sports. So for me, it’s great.”

Story by Molly Daily for University Marketing and Communications