Читать книгу Memoirs of Milwaukee County, Volume 2 - Josiah Seymour Currey - Страница 15

Rt. Rev. Msgr. David J. O'Hearn, a distinguished representative of the Catholic priesthood in Wisconsin, now in charge of St. John's cathedral in Milwaukee, was born in this city March 27, 1867, a son of« Thomas and Ellen (Keogh) O'Hearn, the former born in St. Johns, Newfoundland, and the latter in Wexford, Ireland. His maternal grandfather came to Milwaukee in 1847 and his mother arrived in 1854. Both parents are now dead.

Msgr. O'Hearn acquired his early education in St. John's Cathedral school, was graduated with the class of 1882, afterward attended St. Francis Seminary, was ordained to the priesthood November 24, 1889, and later became a student in the Catholic University of Washington, D. C, in which he pursued post-graduate work, remaining there for three years. On his return to Milwaukee, he was appointed as assistant to Father Keogh, his uncle, who was pastor of St. John's cathedral, of which Msgr. O'Hearn now has charge. He acted as assistant until 1898, when he went to Rome, spending three years in the Eternal City and pursuing a course in the Gregorian University which won him the degree of Doctor of Canonical Law in 1901. After an extended trip to Asia Minor, Palestine and Egypt he returned to his native land and in Milwaukee was again appointed assistant in St. John's cathedral, where he continued until 1905. In that year he received the appointment from Archbishop Messmer to the professionship of canonical law and church history in St. Francis Seminary, filling the position for fifteen years and also occupying the chairs of Christian archaeology, the Life of Christ and Italian. On the 1st of May, 1920, Msgr. O'Hearn was appointed pastor of St. John's cathedral by Archbishop Messmer, this being the church in which he was baptized, made his first confession, received his first Holy Communion, was confirmed, ordained, and in which he also said his first mass. On the 4th of October, 1921, on the occasion of the celebration of Archbishop Messmer's golden Jubilee in the priesthood, Msgr. O'Hearn, in company with Msgr. Bernard G. Traudt and Msgr. Boleslaus E. Goral, was invested with the monsignorship, to which dignity he had had been raised by Benedict XV. The work of the church has been carried steadily forward under the direction of Msgr. O'Hearn, who during the past year has raised eighty thousand dollars for the improvement of the church building and charity work. Besides this the various church activities have been well organized, thus insuring a bright outlook for the future of St. John's cathedral.