T.W. Campbell, The Priests of the Diocese of Armidale: A Necrology, Braddon ACT, 2005:
Hearn, John Baptist

Born Ireland 1852, exact date unknown. Details of education unknown. Studied at Holy Cross College, Clonliffe. Ordained for the diocese of Maitland 1878, exact date and place unknown. Appointed to Newcastle, Branxton and Tamworth. Was at Murrurundi when he joined the Redemptorists. He did his novitiate at Liverpool (UK), taking his vows in December 1884. Attended Studenate (seminary) of the Redemptorists at Teignmouth (Devon) for six months of special pastoral studies, then returned to Australia, arriving Sydney December 1885. He conducted missions in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, including Mount Gambier, Dubbo, Orange, Newcastle and Adelaide. Never of robust health he applied to the English superior for dispensation from his vows as a Redemptorist, doing so secretly so as not to sadden his Australian superior, Fr Edmund Vaughan, whom he admired. The dispensation was granted in March 1889. He transferred to the Armidale diocese where he worked at Tamworth, Narrabri and Tenterfield, resigning in September 1906 because of illness. He retired to Branxton where he lived until his death from rheumatism at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney on 4 October 1911, to which hospital he transferred for treatment in late 1910. He was buried at Branxton Catholic cemetery (beside the church). The headstone reads 'Of your charity pray for the repose of the soul of Rev Father J Hearn, died 3rd October 1911'. NSW Probate records confirm the date of death as 4 October 1911.
(Sources: FJ 19 May 1893 p 15, 14 Jan 1899 p 18, 20 Jun 1903 p 15, 19 Sep 1903 p 16, 1 Dec 1910 p 21, 12 Oct 1911 p 16, Letter of 25 June 2001 from Fr SJ Boland CSsR, Archivist, Redemptorist community, Kogarah NSW, MDHC A-Z H65).

(Reproduced by permission of Tom Campbell.)