Doublemint Jesuits

Loyola University in New Orleans has a fantastic digital collection of 19th century Jesuit photos. One of the most fascinating images I found is that of the Murphy brothers, Fathers Daniel J. (1852-1929) and Philip J. (1852-1920). They’re buried in the cemetery of Spring Hill College, Alabama. They were born on December 2, 1852, and joined the Jesuits’ New Orleans Province together on July 27, 1882. I assume they’re among the first twins ordained in America, if not the first. And since this is National Vocation Awareness Week, it’s a good time to highlight what I believe is a key to vocations: that they grow in families. Some examples have already been highlighted on this blog, like the Fontbonnes, the Spaldings and the Healys. But just about every diocese and religious order can provide similar examples of multiple family vocations. More stories on this to come!