HAGAN, JOHN RAPHAEL (26 Feb. 1890-28 Sept. 1946), auxiliary bishop of Cleveland and first president of Sisters' (later St. John) College, was born in Pittsburgh to Katherine (Foley) and John Hagan. He was brought to Cleveland at age 2 and after graduation from St. Ignatius High School, he began studies at North American College in Rome and was ordained in 1914. Through study at the University of Bonn (Germany) and Catholic University of America, he acquired a D.S.T., a D.S.Ed., and a Ph.D. After serving as parish priest at St. Augustine (1914-16), ST PATRICK'S PARISH (1916-21), and St. Mary's, Bedford (1921-23), Fr. Hagan was named superintendent of schools by BP. JOSEPH SCHREMBS, a position he held for 23 years.
At the time, Catholic teacher education was conducted in normal schools run by religious communities with unequal resources. Hagan persuaded the communities to entrust the training to a diocese-run school, Sisters' College, which opened in 1928. Soon the institution, in response to changing state directives, switched from a normal school to a 4-year bachelor's program. With the assistance of Msgr. ROBT. NAVIN, Hagan built Sisters' College into an innovative training center. Hagan also helped found the Experimental School at Catholic University, aided the NEA, and founded the Catholic PTA movement. He taught at Cathedral Latin, Sisters' College, the seminary, and Catholic University; and authored texts. In 1946, Hagan was named auxiliary bishop of Cleveland by Pope Pius XII. In Aug. 1946, he was taken ill with hepatitis and died following abdominal surgery. Hagan was buried in ST. JOHN CATHEDRAL.