Early life Hilary Hacker was born on January 10, 1913, to Emil and Sophia (née Bauman) Hacker in
New Ulm,
Minnesota. He attended
Holy Trinity High School in Winsted, Minnesota, for two years before entering
Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary in
St. Paul, Minnesota. After his ordination, Hacker briefly served as an
assistant pastor at Nativity Parish in
St. Paul. He was then to Rome for
graduate studies at the
Pontifical Gregorian University, where he received a degree in
canon law. Following his return to Minnesota, Hacker was appointed
chancellor of the archdiocese in 1941, then became
vicar general in 1945.
Bishop of Bismarck On December 29, 1956, Hacker was appointed the fourth bishop of Bismarck by
Pope Pius XII. He received his
episcopal consecration on February 27, 1957, from Archbishop
William Brady, with Bishops
Francis Schenk and
James Byrne serving as
co-consecrators, at the
Cathedral of St. Paul in Bismarck. Installed as bishop on March 14, 1957, Hacker was only 44 years old at the time of his appointment and the youngest bishop to be chosen for the church in western
North Dakota. Hacker attended all four sessions of the
Second Vatican Council in Rome from 1962 to 1965, and dedicated much of his tenure implementing the council's reforms, especially the
Mass of Paul VI and greater participation of the
laity. His tenure was also marked by high
Catholic school enrollment, as well as the founding of
Bishop Ryan High School in Minot, North Dakota, and
Trinity High School in Dickenson, North Dakota He also established an annual appeal called God's Share; between 1956 and 1963, the annual collection rose from $165,000 to $225,000.
Retirement and legacy Pope John Paul II accepted Hacker's resignation as bishop of Bismarck on June 28, 1982. He spent his retirement at Christ the King Parish in
Mandan, North Dakota and later at Emmaus Place, a retirement home for priests in Bismarck. Hilary Hacker died on November 6, 1990, at age 77 in
St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck. He is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery,
Bismarck. ==See also==