By Andrew Winter
1. Msgr. James Dawson was born June 26, 1929, the day before his mother’s birthday. He lived in Fairmont, Neb., and because his father was often away due to his occupation as a trucker, a family friend would drive Jim and his siblings every Sunday to Mass in McCool Junction. He graduated second in his class at Fairmont Public School at the age of 16, behind his childhood friend, Mary Frances Tous. Fifty-seven years later, Msgr. Dawson gave the homily at her funeral.
2. Msgr. Dawson nearly became a teacher after his high school graduation, but he was small and sickly, and his mother told him the eighth-grade girls would be taller than him. He then almost became a banker, but his pastor suggested he consider seminary. After meeting with Bishop Louis Kucera, Msgr. Dawson went to Kansas for priestly education.
3. On completion of his seminary training, Msgr. Dawson was ordained at St. Joseph Church in York in 1954. At the Mass, when Msgr. Dawson was about to lie prostrate as part of the ordination liturgy, the master of ceremonies told him to lie down to one side of the altar, as there was no room behind the bishop because of the altar steps. The bishop turned around and said loudly, “Where did he go? Bring him back and have him lie on the steps, they’ll think he got away.”
4. As a priest of the Lincoln Diocese, Msgr. Dawson founded the Nebraska Catholic Conference for the passing of Christian legislation, built Bonacum House for retired priests, and served on the Diocesan Building Commission during the construction of the Cathedral of the Risen Christ. He also founded Villa Marie School for Exceptional Children in Waverly.
5. Msgr. Dawson served as the superintendent of Pius X High School, the superintendent of diocesan schools, vicar general of the diocese, director of the diocesan CCD program, and pastor of several parishes. Though he was busy, Msgr. Dawson still found time to pray the rosary three times a day.
6. Msgr. Dawson travelled to 45 countries, most while serving as a chaplain for a cruise company. He got to tour the Caribbean, Baltic, and Mediterranean several times. He also visited the Holy Land eight times, taking pilgrimage groups with him.
7. When he returned to the United States, Msgr. Dawson conceived the idea of travelling the country with his nieces and nephews. Over three years, he took 14 nieces and nephews to Washington, D.C., Disney World in Florida, and Montreal/Niagara Falls. His giant crew of children was a newspaper sensation. While in Florida, a sad-looking couple asked if they were all his children. When Msgr. Dawson said they were his nieces and nephews, they said: “Thank God! We thought your wife died.”
8. Msgr. Dawson also travelled to Rome to attend the Second Vatican Council along with 2,300 bishops. In 2002, when he was again in Rome, he concelebrated Mass with Pope St. John Paul II in his private chapel, shook his hand, and received a rosary from him.
9. When Msgr. Dawson retired in 2005, he moved into the retirement home he founded, Bonacum House in Lincoln. Later, he lived at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital until his death in 2020. Dawson Hall at the John XXIII Diocesan Center is named after him, and the Msgr. James D Dawson Scholarship at Pius X High School was established in his honor.
