The funeral for Brother John Raymond Habjan, S.M., will begin at 9 a.m. Sept. 20 with visitation, followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 10:30 a.m. at Queen of Apostles Chapel on the Bergamo/Mount Saint John property in Beavercreek, Ohio. Interment will take place after Mass.
Brother Habjan, 80, died Sept. 1. He was a professed member of the Society of Mary (also known as the Marianists) for 61 years.
Born June 12, 1945 in Cleveland to the late John and Vida (Kovacic) Habjan, Brother Habjan was educated at St. Vitus School and Cathedral Latin High School, both in Cleveland. He first encountered the Marianists at Cathedral Latin. After high school, he entered the Marianist novitiate in July 1963 in Marcy, New York. Brother Habjan professed his first vows on Aug. 22, 1964 and his perpetual vows in 1968, the same summer he earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Dayton. He later earned and a master’s in history from the University of Cincinnati.
He began his teaching career in 1967 at Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, while still in college. Brother Habjan served there for 13 years, teaching history and French. He also was the band moderator and later served as assistant principal for academics.
In 1980, he was named academic dean at Chaminade-Julienne High School in Dayton, where he was known as an innovator. He launched new science and art fair programs and revitalized the theater program.
Brother Habjan returned to Moeller in 1994, serving as academic dean once again. He also was named to a national committee in 1998 that focused on developing effective ways to incorporate the characteristics of a Marianist education at sponsored schools across the province.
In 2004, he joined the staff of the office of education, leading the effort to create a mission integration visitation process. The collaborative effort led to a formal four-year mission integration process that remains in use in the United States. In addition, in 2007, he wrote a 20-page article highlighting the history of Marianist education ministries worldwide and detailing the sponsorship process as part of the province’s Mission Effectiveness Program.
Brother Habjan returned to Dayton in 2010, retiring from active ministry in high school administration and classrooms. He joined the Alumni Hall Marianist Community at the University of Dayton, and in subsequent years served at the Marianist archives and in the main library UD, while also teaching online courses through the North American Center for Marianist Studies.