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The Victoria GAZETTE |
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CLICKSTART 952-902-2014 |
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March 2013 |
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by Sue Orsen/The Victoria Gazette At the age of 97, Father Bernardine Hahn is the oldest living Franciscan in the Scared Heart Province. That province of friars currently serves in 20 dioceses scattered throughout the United States plus in foreign missions like Brazil, Africa, China, and Vietnam. Father Bernardine is also the only living Franciscan priest who served at the St. Victoria Catholic Church in Victoria. He was the priest here from August of 1952 to August of 1954, and then he went to Guardian Angels in Chaska for the next five years. For over a century, Franciscans served many of the local parishes, St. Victoria from 1876 to 1996. Since his short time in Victoria, Father Bernardine has retained a remarkable and warm connection to the people of this area. Living and working in St. Louis, Missouri, these past nearly 15 years, he last visited Victoria in 2007 for the occasion of the 150th anniversary of St. Victoria, and then in 2008 for the Funeral Mass of his friend Father Elstan Coghill. The oldest Franciscan came to call many places home as he faithfully worked, and works, these past 70 years on behalf of the oldest institution in the history of the world, the Catholic Church. Humble and generous, light of build and large of intellect, Father Bernardine selflessly gives his life to others in many ways. And now he consented to give us his story besides. Thank you, Fr. B.
His Youth For the first years of his life, Fr. B. was known as Leonard Hahn. "That's Leonard of Port Maurice," he clarifies, referring to a saint from the Franciscan order who lived in the 18th century and converted many people to the Faith. Leonard Hahn was born on December 13th, 1915, in Omaha, Nebraska, where he still has a brother and other relatives. "I was born in our home, not in a hospital," said Fr. B. "In our day, Mother sent the children to the neighbors' to sleep -- she knew when the baby was coming -- and that's what happened to us. There were six of us, five boys and one girl. Mother also had two miscarriages." In order of birth, the siblings were all named after Franciscan saints: Francis, Clare, Joseph, Leo, Leonard, and ten years later came Lawrence. "Lawrence was a surprise visitor," says Fr. B. "My mother had to get permission from us kids to nurse him because we were always holding him. We loved that baby! Lawrence is coming to visit soon. He still lives in Omaha. He's 86, the best one of the family, not excluding myself." The parents were Bernard Francis and Frances Hahn. "We lived in a Franciscan parish, Immaculate Conception," explained Fr. B. at the incredible number of Franciscan namesakes in the family.
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When Father Bernardine first arrived in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1999, he lived near the St. Francis of Assisi Church on Telegraph Road. I took this photo of Fr. B. and St. Francis when we visited in February of 2002. |