Rev Joseph Hearn SJ
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Joseph
Middle Names:
Preferred Name:
Surname:
Hearn
Order:
SJ
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Ballinrobe, Co Mayo
Country of Birth:
Ireland
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Country of Ordination:
Ordination Diocese:
Seminary:
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Melbourne VIC
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Melbourne VIC
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Biographical Notes
Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Hearn, Joseph
Pastor, military chaplain; born Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, Ireland, 5 August 1854; died Melbourne, 22 November 1941, aged 87.
Joseph Hearn was an old boy of Tullamore College, St Stanislaus, before its amalgamation with Clongowes. He entered the Society at Milltown Park, 31 October 1878, at the age of 24. He taught at Tullamore College after juniorate studies, 1881-84, studied philosophy at Milltown Park, 1884-89, and theology at Louvain and Milltown Park, 1887-91. Then he was appointed socius to the master of novices while he completed his tertianship at Tullamore College.
He came to Australia and taught at St Patrick's College, 1892-96, and Riverview for a short time in 1896. He was appointed superior and parish priest of Richmond, 1896-1914, and was a mission consultor at the same time. Then he became a military chaplain and served with the Australian Expeditionary Force in its campaign in the Dardanelles. He served with the 7th in Belgium and then with the 2nd Infantry Battalion. He was with the AIF, HQ in the UK, returning to Australia early in 1917. He was awarded the Military Cross for his service.
Upon his return, he resumed parish work at Lavender Bay, 1917-18; North Sydney, 1918-22, where he was parish priest and superior, and a Sydney mission consultor; and Hawthorn, 1922-31, as well as being one time minister then superior and parish priest. Then, despite old age, he was appointed rector of Loyola College, Greenwich, 1931-33, and when the house of formation moved to Watsonia, Victoria, became its first rector, 1934-40. His final appointment was parish work at Richmond, Victoria.
Hearn was called 'blood and iron Joe', and lived up to this by the severity of his manner, both with himself and others. He did not relate well to women, but men liked him. He had a vein of sardonic humour that suited well with the temper of the First AIF. He joined the army at the age of 60. Though his service in the army tended to overshadow his other work, the real high point of his career was his long period as parish priest of Richmond; the parish schools are especially a monument to him.
(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)