Fr. Murray entered the Jesuits in 1959 and was ordained a priest in 1972. His first assignment after ordination was at Mount Manresa Retreat House on Staten Island. After a year in India for tertianship, he was taught at Xavier High School in NYC. Following this, Fr. Murray spent the next 20 years as a hospital chaplain. Following this ministry, he was missioned to the Jesuit Shrine in Auriesville for eight years. Fr. Murray was then assigned to St. Michael's parish in Buffalo for a few years before moving to St. Raphael's Parish in Raleigh, North Carolina and finally to St. Anthony's in Oceanside.