Horning, Father Joseph
1976, August 20
Date of Birth: 1907, March 12
Joseph Horning was born in Edwardsville, Illinois, on March 12, 1907. His earliest school years, starting in 1913, were at St. Boniface School in Edwardsville. When his family moved to Akron, Ohio, he continued his early education first at St. Vincent’s School, then at St. Martha’s. In 1921 he came to St. Charles College in Catonsville, Maryland, from which he graduated in 1927. His scholastic record merited him a Basselin scholarship. This brought him to the Sulpician Seminary, (Theological College) at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. for three years of Philosophy and an M.A. in 1930. Without changing residence, he took his Theology at the Sulpician Seminary. He received his S.T.B. in 1934. He was ordained for the Diocese of Cleveland on June 12, 1934.
Father Horning’s first assignment was to St. Edward’s Seminary in Seattle, Washington, where he taught Physics, Latin, and Mathematics. In 1936-1937 he made his Solitude in Catonsville, and then he returned to Seattle until 1940, when he was appointed to the faculty of St. Charles College. For the next ten years he taught Latin and Religion and acted as Prefect of Discipline. In 1950 he became Vice-president of St. Charles while retaining his other duties. Serious illness forced him later to yield the Prefect’s office, but he was able to resume teaching. He remained Vice-president until 1966. After the amalgamation of the Philosophy Department of St. Mary’s Seminary and St. Charles College on the Catonsville campus took place in 1969, Father Horning worked long hours in the cataloguing of library books. He suffered several heart attacks in his last months, and he succumbed to one while visiting at home in Akron. He died on August 20, 1976.
Adapted from Father Horning’s “Personal Data” sheet.