Bishop Jerome Daniel Hannan took over as the bishop of Scranton after the death of Bishop William J. Hafey. Bishop Hafey was an enormously competent man and presided over the Diocese during the years of the Second World War. He also presided over the Diocese during the post-war inflation. Bishop Hafey had an amazing foresight about him, and saw clearly the diocese's future needs in education, health care, youth activities, and the foundation of new parishes. He had a very successful fundraiser called "House of Charity." To this day, the Diocese still has the benefits of an exceptionally insightful charity.
             Bishop Hafey's death on May 12, 1954, left a void which seemed impossible to fill. Sadness at his passing was evident four months later when Reverend Jerome Daniel Hannan was ordained Bishop in Washington, D.C.. He was born on November 29, 1896, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The son of James Joseph and Rose Hannan, he secured his elementary education at St. John the Evangelist parochial school. Two years of public high school were followed by an equal period spent at Duquesne Preparatory. Graduating at the age of fifteen, Jerome D. Hannan elected to continue his studies at Duquesne University. A Bachelor of Arts degree was conferred upon him four years later in June of 1916. The seminary beckoned and he enrolled at St. Vincent's, Latrobe, thirty-five miles southeast of Pittsburgh. There he remained until he was to be ordained a priest. He was ordained a priest on May 22, 1921. Bishop Hannan was an educator, lawyer, author, canonist, and university administrator. He was appointed on August 17, 1954 and was ordained on September 21, 1954. The new bishop was at first more suited to the classroom than to the difficult task of dealing with the problems inherent in the day-to-day activities of a large diocese. Although many people didn't think Bishop Hannan would be able to fill Bi...