Bishop William Murphy

It’s tough quantifying power in this case. For true believers, Murphy’s power comes from a higher place—not the Press. But when it comes time to gauge earthly power, Murphy is undeniably strong. There are still more than 1 million members of the Diocese of Rockville Centre—many with large checkbooks. And while Murphy, who joined this diocese in 2001, has been a lightning rod for many critical issues, he obviously has his supporters. His biggest black eye came after the discovery that he did not do enough to go after priests who had been accused of molestation when he was at the Boston diocese. The nationwide allegations—and proof—of priests engaging in criminal behavior against students rocked the church, all the way to the Vatican. Murphy’s decision to do nothing, in some cases, has continued to raise eyebrows. Maybe he’s a Power Lister by default. But there has to be some reason that he has been able to weather the criticism and straying of some of the flock. Consider that even after some tough school closings and consolidations, the past several years have seen good growth in Catholic school registration. His influence is evident.

Inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2008