The sixth bishop of the diocese, Bishop Hogan was born in Philadelphia on October 17, 1911, the son of James J. and Mary E. (Malloy) Hogan. As a young boy, Bishop Hogan moved with his family to Camden, New Jersey. Following his education at Camden Catholic High School, he attended St. Charles College in Catonsville, Maryland. Bishop James entered St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore and proceeded to the North American College in Rome, Italy. He was ordained a priest on December 8, 1937 at North American College. Bishop Hogan then returned to the United States and earned a doctorate degree in canon law at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Bishop Hogan served as a priest in his home diocese of Trenton (NJ) starting in 1941 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in the city of Trenton. He became pastor at St. Catherine Parish in Spring Lake, NJ in 1953. While in his pastorate, he also served the Trenton diocese as Assistant Chancellor and Chancellor (Secretary to the Bishop). On November 27, 1959, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton. He was ordained Bishop and appointed the Titular Bishop of Philomelium on February 20, 1960.
From 1962 through 1965, along with his fellow bishops, Bishop Hogan took part in the Second Vatican Council in Rome, the landmark conference which defined the focus and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
On May 23, 1966, Bishop Hogan was appointed to head the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. He was officially installed as the Bishop on July 6, 1966, succeeding Bishop J. Carroll McCormick, who had been appointed to the Diocese of Scranton.
Bishop Hogan went on to serve the faithful of Altoona-Johnstown for over 20 years, the second longest tenure of any Bishop in the history of the diocese. Under his direction, the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, completed just months before his installation, were fully brought to the Diocese.
Bishop Hogan was also noted for promoting ecumenism and dialogue with other faiths, expanding the outreach of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and extoling the tremendous contributions of orders and congregations of women religious. In fact, the Carmelite Community of the Word, a new community of religious women, was established during his tenure to specifically serve the diocese.
In terms of administration, Bishop Hogan relocated the offices of the Chancery to their current location in Hollidaysburg in 1972. He dedicated a number of new buildings to assist in administration throughout the diocese. In addition, three new parishes were opened during his tenure: St. Thomas More in Roaring Spring (1969), St. John the Evangelist in Everett (1971), and Blessed Kateri Tekawitha in Spring Mills (1986).
In 1986, Bishop Hogan became the first Bishop in the history of the Diocese to retire when he did so on his 75th birthday, as required by the Church’s canon law.
Bishop Hogan was received at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona on Monday, June 20. The Funeral Mass was celebrated on Wednesday, June 22 at the Cathedral with Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, the celebrant and the Most Reverend Joseph V. Adamec, Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown, the homilist. Following the Mass, Bishop Hogan was interred in the Cathedral's crypt chapel.
The sixth bishop of the diocese, Bishop Hogan was born in Philadelphia on October 17, 1911, the son of James J. and Mary E. (Malloy) Hogan. As a young boy, Bishop Hogan moved with his family to Camden, New Jersey. Following his education at Camden Catholic High School, he attended St. Charles College in Catonsville, Maryland. Bishop James entered St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore and proceeded to the North American College in Rome, Italy. He was ordained a priest on December 8, 1937 at North American College. Bishop Hogan then returned to the United States and earned a doctorate degree in canon law at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Bishop Hogan served as a priest in his home diocese of Trenton (NJ) starting in 1941 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in the city of Trenton. He became pastor at St. Catherine Parish in Spring Lake, NJ in 1953. While in his pastorate, he also served the Trenton diocese as Assistant Chancellor and Chancellor (Secretary to the Bishop). On November 27, 1959, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton. He was ordained Bishop and appointed the Titular Bishop of Philomelium on February 20, 1960.
From 1962 through 1965, along with his fellow bishops, Bishop Hogan took part in the Second Vatican Council in Rome, the landmark conference which defined the focus and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
On May 23, 1966, Bishop Hogan was appointed to head the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. He was officially installed as the Bishop on July 6, 1966, succeeding Bishop J. Carroll McCormick, who had been appointed to the Diocese of Scranton.
Bishop Hogan went on to serve the faithful of Altoona-Johnstown for over 20 years, the second longest tenure of any Bishop in the history of the diocese. Under his direction, the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, completed just months before his installation, were fully brought to the Diocese.
Bishop Hogan was also noted for promoting ecumenism and dialogue with other faiths, expanding the outreach of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and extoling the tremendous contributions of orders and congregations of women religious. In fact, the Carmelite Community of the Word, a new community of religious women, was established during his tenure to specifically serve the diocese.
In terms of administration, Bishop Hogan relocated the offices of the Chancery to their current location in Hollidaysburg in 1972. He dedicated a number of new buildings to assist in administration throughout the diocese. In addition, three new parishes were opened during his tenure: St. Thomas More in Roaring Spring (1969), St. John the Evangelist in Everett (1971), and Blessed Kateri Tekawitha in Spring Mills (1986).
In 1986, Bishop Hogan became the first Bishop in the history of the Diocese to retire when he did so on his 75th birthday, as required by the Church’s canon law.
Bishop Hogan was received at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona on Monday, June 20. The Funeral Mass was celebrated on Wednesday, June 22 at the Cathedral with Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, the celebrant and the Most Reverend Joseph V. Adamec, Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown, the homilist. Following the Mass, Bishop Hogan was interred in the Cathedral's crypt chapel.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement