Spotlight on Steve and Karen Murphy
 
 
Q: Tell me about your family – how long have you been married? 
Karen and I met at a Halloween party in San Diego, dated for two years, then were married in the Cathedral Chapel of St. Lawrence in Harrisburg in 2006.  While I was born and raised in the Catholic Church, Karen became Catholic through the RCIA program at the Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala while we were dating.  We moved to Doylestown in 2006 and were blessed with Lila in 2008, and then with Elsa in 2010.  We found St. Jude School to be the perfect fit for Lila in our search for her Pre-K and kindergarten education; and over time realized that St. Jude Parish was the perfect fit for our entire family.
 
Q: What do you like about St. Jude parish?
Our family has really come to appreciate the sense of community that we enjoy here at St. Jude.  Our daughters Lila (6th grade) and Elsa (3rd grade) absolutely love attending St. Jude School; in fact, with about a month of summer break remaining this past summer, they were ready and excited to start school again.  That’s more a testament to the nurturing, friends-filled environment they missed at school and less about being bored at home on a hot summer day.
 
Karen and I are both thankful for and cherish the relationships we've made over the years with fellow parishioners and parents.  And what would a Sunday Homily be without the occasional Deacon Tim joke?
 
Q: In what ways do you participate in parish life?
Karen and I have been blessed with the opportunity to be involved in parish life in a number of ways. Karen serves as the St. Jude Home & School Association (HSA) Treasurer, and is a former HSA President.  She has recently become the Scrip Program coordinator again and has been a member of the Advancement Committee the last 2 years.  I have been serving St. Jude as a Lector for the last few years and find it very fulfilling to help share God’s Word at Mass with my fellow parishioners.  Additionally, I was blessed to be part of our first Christ Renews His Parish (CHRP) weekend and was able to share that experience with the second CRHP group of St. Jude men.  Lila and Elsa both enjoy singing in the Children’s Choir and Lila also serves as an Altar Server.
 
At least once or twice a month Karen volunteers for Lunch Duty at the school cafeteria, and if I happen to be home that day, I will do it as well.  We really enjoy spending that little extra time with our girls and getting to see them in their school element with their friends, plus they are always excited to see us there.  I highly recommend it if you have young ones at the school and can spare an hour mid-day!  Last year Karen and I helped with set design for the school play, and this year we are heading that up.  We all also enjoy helping where and when we can with various parish events and fundraisers.  
 
Q: What attracted you to those parish activities/ministries?
Soon after our oldest, Lila, got settled into her school routine here at St. Jude, Karen started getting involved in school activities; then I began to, as well.  At the time our motives were somewhat selfish, as we were new to the parish and used this as an opportunity to get to know people.  Over time Karen became involved in the Scrip program and the HSA; and I felt called to become a Lector.  Funny how God guides us sometimes.  My involvement with the CRHP program wasn’t as much a calling as it was just agreeing to do the weekend; but in the end I was blessed with relationships with parish men whom I had not previously known, and probably still wouldn't, had we not spent that time together.
 
Lila and Elsa are constantly exploring their vocal ranges around the house and thus the Children’s Choir was a natural progression.  Lila became an altar server because she wanted access to the vestibules of the church where she might find Deacon Tim’s joke book. (I’m not sure, though, if she intends to learn from it or dispose of it.)
 
Q: Do you have any suggestions on how to pass on your faith to your children?
We feel it is important to practice our faith as a family.  We say grace before meals as a family.  We go to Mass together as a family.  Many parish and school events we attend and volunteer together as a family.  We’ve taught our girls to pray, during good times and challenging ones.
 
As I learned a while back during my Navy career, just learning the material, passing a test, and planning at a meeting doesn’t complete the mission; it’s in the practical application that one makes a difference.  Our goal is to help our girls live their lives knowing that God is always with them, will answer their prayers, and will provide guidance—especially once they leave the nest and are on their own.