Fr. Robert J. Hagee, SJ, 1928-2011
January 11, 2011 in 2011, News, Obituaries
- Robert J. Hagee, SJ
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June 2, 1928, to January 9, 2011
Clarkston, MI
Fr. Robert J. Hagee, S.J., who served as a Jesuit missionary to the people of Bihar, India, for over 35 years and rooted his life’s work in caring for the poor, died on January 9, 2011, at Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Michigan. Fr. Hagee was born to George and Elizabeth (O’Brien) Hagee in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 2, 1928.
After graduating in 1946 from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Fr. Hagee joined the Society of Jesus at the Milford Novitiate in Milford, Ohio, in 1947. In 1955 he was assigned to serve in Bihar, a state in northeastern India, where he was later ordained in 1961. He professed final vows in Patna, India, in 1964.
Fr. Hagee spent 35 years, the majority of his priestly life, in India. While there, he worked as a parish priest and administrator; helped to establish schools in Buxar, Bakhtiyarpur, and Jamalpur; taught at St. Xavier’s School in Jaipur, Rajasthan; and worked extensively with the poor. Reflecting on his experiences for Partners magazine (winter 2007), he said: “In India I learned about what it means to be poor and what the poor can teach us about our goodness and generosity.”
After returning home to the states in 1990, Fr. Hagee attended the Institute of Pastoral Studies in Chicago, Illinois. He then spent a short time working as an associate pastor at St. Francis Church in Pikeville, Kentucky, before joining the Faber Community in Cincinnati in 1992. He spent the next eight years in pastoral work and serving as sacristan for the house chapel. “My ministry now is to visit the elderly at two nursing homes that cater to the poor,” he told Partners. “It’s very rewarding to be attentive to people’s needs and let them know they are loved.”
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Memorial gifts may be made to The Jesuits, 2050 N. Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60614.
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I have a faint recollection of.him and I am pretty sure he did not teach me. I was in the school from 1952 to 1958. All the Fathers who taught us did a wonderful job in teaching. We had the Chief of Air Force Tyagi, Chief of the Navy, Madhuvendra Singh…
May god bless his soul and rest in peace
Fr. Hagee served at the nursing home I work at for many years. He brought so much to the residents each week and we are still at a loss without having him there. Thank you for what you did for the residents.
Father Hagee was one of the most noble man I ever met in my life. His dedication to hummanity transcended all human limitations and he has left a everlasting impression me. I remember this great soul as an outstanding human being and a great teacher.
Thanks Father.
Dear Father,
You shall remain in our heart eternally… I am glad to have been taught by you at Saint Xavier Jaipur and I pray to the almighty for giving peace to your soul.
Warm regards/
Amit Jain
He will always remain in my memories which I will always cherish.Can’t express the time I spent with him as I was in the hostel.May his soul rest in peace Ameen.
Fr. Hagee
A gentle, loving soul.
His life is an example of how to quietly serve humanity.
We students remember him fondly and will miss him.