STAMFORD—Msgr. John Bernard Hossan died on May 6 at the Catherine Dennis Keefe Queen of the Clergy Residence in Stamford. The retired pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Redding Ridge was 90 years old.
Born in Danbury on August 21, 1927, he graduated from St. Joseph School in Danbury in 1941 and Danbury High School in 1945. He studied at the University of Notre Dame from 1945-47 before entering St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, where he graduated in 1949. He completed his priestly formation at St. John Seminary in Brighton, Mass., and was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Hartford on September 15, 1953, by Bishop Henry J. O’Brien at St. Joseph Church in Danbury. Msgr. Hossan was incardinated into the newly-established Diocese of Bridgeport on December 24, 1953.
In the Diocese of Bridgeport, Msgr. Hossan served as parochial vicar at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Newtown and St. James Parish in Stratford. Many years of his priesthood were spent in education. He taught at Notre Dame Catholic High School from 1957-59, while residing at St. Lawrence Parish in Shelton and at St. Ambrose Parish in Bridgeport. Following that, he taught at Stamford Catholic High School (now Trinity Catholic) from 1959-62, while residing at St. Mary Parish in Stamford. He served as principal of Immaculate High School in Danbury from 1962-1973, while residing at St. Joseph’s in Danbury, St. Gregory the Great Parish in Danbury and the Congregation de Notre Dame in Ridgefield. In 1974, Msgr. Hossan was appointed as the first administrator of “The House of Prayer for Priests” and as director of the permanent diaconate program.
For one extremely busy year, from 1979-80, Msgr. Hossan served as temporary administrator of four parishes at once: St. Thomas the Apostle in Norwalk, Sacred Heart in Georgetown, St. Patrick in Redding Ridge and St. Luke in Westport. After a year as parochial vicar at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Newtown he became as co-pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Brookfield. He was named pastor of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish in Brookfield from 1982-90. His last posting was at St. Patrick Parish in Redding Ridge, where he served from 1990-2002.
Msgr. Hossan was named a Prelate of Honor to His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, in 1996.
A wake for Msgr. Hossan will be held on Thursday, May 10, at Cornell Funeral Home, 247 White St., Danbury, from 4- 7 pm.
His body will be received in to Joseph Church, Danbury, on Friday, May 11. Visitation will follow until the Mass of Christian Burial, which will be celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano at 11 am. Father Joseph T. Donnelly, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Southbury, will be the homilist. Interment will follow at St. Peter Cemetery, Danbury.
