Father Sean Hagarty was born and raised in New York, New York. He first met the Jesuits at his home parish on the Upper West Side as a child and then at Xavier High School. He went on to attend Fordham University on a ROTC scholarship and was commissioned a field artillery officer in the U.S. Army. Sean was assigned to 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division out of Ft. Wainwright, Alaska. There he was an active part of the Catholic community serving as a catechist at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in North Pole, Alaska. In 2008 he deployed to the Diyala Province of Iraq as the Fire Support Officer, and later Executive Officer, of A Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry.

After leaving the Army as a captain in 2010, Sean worked for AB InBev as a logistics manger in New York, Tulsa and Los Angeles. In 2012, Sean joined the Society of Jesus and was sent to the novitiate in Syracuse, New York. While there he worked in jail ministry at the local county jail and served as a chaplain at Upstate University Hospital. Following first vows in 2014, Sean was missioned to Saint Louis University (SLU), where he earned a master’s degree in philosophy. While in St. Louis, he was a catechist at the College Church and a chaplain to the SLU veteran community. Following philosophy studies, Sean was missioned to Portland, Maine, to work as a theology teacher at Cheverus High School. In addition to teaching, Sean helped with several school activities and worked as a bus driver for the athletic department. In 2018, Sean began his theology studies at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry for a Master of Divinity and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology in moral theology. His research and thesis centered around questions of just war, moral injury and the reintegration of soldiers into the Catholic community. He also served as a deacon at Our Lady of Grace in Chelsea/Everett, Massachusetts, and at St. Mary of the Assumption in Revere, Massachusetts.

Father Sean was ordained in June 2022 and now serves as Assistant Director of Vocations and Promoter for the USA East Province.