William F. Murphy, a prominent bishop whose leadership of New York's Diocese of Rockville Centre and earlier tenure in Boston brought widespread scrutiny due to the clergy sex abuse crisis, died on March 26 at 85. The Rockville Centre diocese announced his death but did not specify a cause or location. Bishop Murphy, who retired in 2017, took charge of the Long Island diocese in 2001, shortly before major investigations exposed decades of priestly abuse and alleged cover-ups in the Boston Archdiocese.

From 1993 to 2001, Bishop Murphy served as Cardinal Bernard F. Law’s second-in-command in Boston. This role prompted questions about his handling of accused priests. He consistently denied involvement, stating in 2004 he played no part in removing or reassigning priests accused of abuse. However, a Long Island newspaper, reviewing confidential personnel files, reported Bishop Murphy was involved in nearly a third of the Boston scandal's sexual abuse cases.

A 2003 Massachusetts Attorney General’s report corroborated findings against the church hierarchy, concluding clergy abused hundreds of children and criticized the church hierarchy for "massive and pervasive failure of leadership." The report specifically named Bishop Murphy as responsible for cases involving numerous abusive priests, such as Rev. John J. Geoghan. It found Bishop Murphy prioritized preventing scandal over child protection. No criminal charges were filed against the archdiocese, as reporting abuse was not legally mandated for church leaders until 2002.

Upon arriving in Rockville Centre, Bishop Murphy faced immediate controversy. A lay Catholic group called for his resignation in July 2003 due to his alleged role in Boston. In December 2003, 50 Long Island priests expressed a lack of confidence, citing declining donations amid broadening scandals. Bishop Murphy responded by holding a five-hour meeting with critics, an action praised by one participating priest.

The abuse scandal also impacted Long Island during his leadership. A Suffolk County grand jury in 2003 found the Rockville Centre diocese had concealed child sexual abuse allegations, though these predated his arrival. He publicly apologized for "the horrific reality" of abuse and past church failures, instituting reforms since 2001 and acknowledging profound harm to victims in a 2004 letter.

Born May 14, 1940, in Boston, William Francis Murphy prepared for the priesthood after Harvard College. Ordained in Rome in 1964, he served in various administrative roles, including a Vatican commission, before becoming Boston’s auxiliary bishop in 1995. Pope John Paul II appointed him to Rockville Centre in 2001. In Rockville Centre, he navigated declining Mass attendance and school closures, emphasized conservative Catholic values, and worked to address the abuse crisis.