Obituary of Father James Hahn

Reverend James David Hahn was born on September 19, 1935, in Kansas City, KS. He was the son of J. Stanton and Margaret Reynolds Hahn. Father Hahn attended St. John Gualbert Co-Cathedral Grade School and Bishop McCort Catholic High School in Johnstown, PA. He began his college studies at St. Francis University, Loretto, PA, and completed his philosophical and theological studies at St. John's University and Seminary, Collegeville, MN. Father Hahn earned Master's and Doctoral degrees in education with graduate studies at St. Thomas College, St. Cloud State University and the Universities of Wisconsin, Eastern Florida, and Marquette. Father Hahn was ordained by The Most Reverend Peter W. Bartholome at Saint Mary's Cathedral, Saint Cloud, MN on June 3, 1961. He celebrated his First Mass at St. John's Seminary, Collegeville, MN, on June 4, 1961. Father Hahn served in the following pastoral assignments in the Diocese of Saint Cloud: associate pastor, St. Mary's Cathedral, St. Cloud, August 1961 - September 1961; St. Anthony's, St. Cloud, September 1961 - June 1963; Our Lady of Victory, Fergus Falls, June, 1963 - June 1964; Sacred Heart, Sauk Rapids, June 1964 - June 1966; pastor, St. Charles, Herman and St. Theresia, Donnelly, July 1972 - July 1974; Holy Spirit, St. Cloud, July 1974 - July 1987; St. Ann's, Wadena, July 1987 - July 1993; Christ the King, Cambridge, July 1993 - July 2013. Father Hahn retired July 2, 2013. Father Hahn served as an instructor at Cathedral High School, June 1964 - June 1970, and as CHS superintendent from June 1979 - June 1981. He also served on the Board of Education from 1973 - 1979; as dean of Wadena Deanery, August 1987 - July 1993; on the College of Consultors, Dec.1992 - Dec.1997; and on the Ecumenical Commission since Dec. 1998. Father Hahn wrote "To the Point," a weekly column for The Visitor, from March, 1965 until March, 2008. He was active in educational, historical and civic organizations in the communities in which he served, most recently as the Cambridge-Isanti Civil Rights Officer, as chaplain to the Isanti County Sheriff Department, and as chaplain to Cambridge and Allina Hospitals. Father Hahn died on August 11, 2014, at his home in Cambridge, MN. Father Hahn is survived by his sister, Judith Bennett. He was preceded in death by his parents.